


The Loneliness Paradox

by Alarynia



Category: The Big Bang Theory (TV)
Genre: F/M, Romance, Slow Build
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-11-08
Updated: 2015-11-08
Packaged: 2018-04-30 16:42:12
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 15
Words: 44,954
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5171657
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Alarynia/pseuds/Alarynia
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Amy gets a new job in Boston, but Sheldon does nothing to stop it. Bernadette has an old friend she hasn't seen in years, who may just be what Sheldon needs to get over Amy. Mature content in later chapters. Sheldon/OC</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Loss of a Friend

Howard was out getting a pedicure with his mother, so she was free for the day. Today was one of those days where she could do whatever she wanted. She was relaxed on her couch, sitting lengthwise on it with her back propped up upon the armrest. She had a glass of moscato wine on the coffee table near by.

_Oh how exciting!_

Bernadette turned the page in one of her favorite books, The Hot Zone. She'd only read it just hundreds of times. The thought of one little filovirus being the cause of so much devastation to the human body was so entertaining. And as an added bonus, it wasn't some fictional novel, but an account of something that had actually happened. She wished she could work with just one sample of ebola to test that rat that had bitten her in the lab. Someone somewhere, probably one of her superiors, would not allow her to do such a thing though.

_*bzzzzzzzt*_ Her cell buzzed on the table next to her. She looked over.

_[Facebook Notification: You have a message from Kaitlyn Fielding.]_

_Katie? From high school? What on earth could she want?_

Kaitlyn Fielding. She was two years older than Bernie. Back in the day, they had been great friends in catholic school. Granted, she wasn't catholic, not even remotely close to being a bible thumper, but they had gotten along just the same. Catholic school had been an idea forced upon Katie by her parents, as it was as close to a private school education as she could receive back home. Katie had always been the bright-minded, yet rather rebellious, school girl that Bernie tended to live vicariously through. She was one of those that snuck out on a school night to meet up with some college guy that was way too old for her, or would sneak schnapps in to a girls' night. Katie was one of those girls Bernie looked up to, despite her miscreant behavior, and had been sad when she had graduated.

Bernadette put her book aside and stretched to reach her laptop on the coffee table. She fumbled a bit trying to drag it, along with the power cord, into her lap. The cord popped free. A distinct *beep* came from her laptops speakers, indicating that she was no longer charging.

"Gosh darnit."

She pulled up Facebook and, sure enough, there was that little red indicator letting her know she had a message.

_[Kaitlyn Fielding:_

_Hey Bernie! I was looking around Facebook to see if anyone from back home lived here in LA. Who knew? I've been here for about a year, and I had no clue we lived in the same area. It would be wonderful to catch up with you at some point. Let me know if you'd like to get some coffee at some point._

_Hope to hear from you!_

_Katie]_

_Well this could be a nice break from the gang. Although, it might be a little awkward. It's been, what, almost 12 years? Maybe Penny will go with me._

She picked up her phone to send Penny a text.

* * *

 

Amy sliced into the brain, her knife cutting through it like butter. She remembered the days when cheap lab instruments meant that she had to saw into her specimens, leaving ragged torn edges and untidy work. Now she was in a great facility, with great lab instruments and machines. Her work could be as close to perfect as she wanted it to be.

She sorted through the pieces she had already sliced. _Damn, no tumors. No discoloration at all. I was certain that daily doses of cocaine-laced moonshine would have resulted in some physical indication within the recently deceased monkey brain._

She sighed. She couldn't keep her mind off the call she had received earlier that month. Amy had been offered a highly respected job within a neuroscience facility just outside of Boston. This was an opportunity of a life time, but that didn't mean it hadn't been tough breaking it to Sheldon, even if he had been indifferent. The thought of moving disturbed her, but her mother would not leave her alone, and she knew well herself that this would be the next step in her career. She had thought she had feelings for Sheldon, and had hoped that he had some form emotion for her in return, but all he had done was stonewall her. What they had was hardly what could be called a relationship. No hand holding, no snuggles. Definitely no sex, no matter how much she ached to jump his bones. And even here lately, they hardly got to talk at all.

She gripped the scalpel in frustration. After two weeks of trying to get some indication from Dr. Sheldon Cooper that he had any emotional register of her at all, she was tired of it. Dating once a year to appease her mother's wishes seemed a simpler task then trying to get Sheldon to bed her, nonetheless hold her hand. She had made the arrangements for her new apartment earlier that week, her mother having gone to approve of her new living arrangements. A truck would be by in the morning to pick up her furniture.

She stabbed the scalpel into the brain, chipping the fine edge in the process as it hit the dissection tray underneath. She was okay with the idea that she wouldn't see Sheldon again. That thought surprised her, but she had come to terms that their relationship was going nowhere. But there was the fact that she would be leaving that fair-faced bestie of hers behind too. What will that Penny do without her bestie? She wondered if it would be socially acceptable to stuff her into a suitcase and force her to go with her.

_*knock, knock*_

"Hey, Ames. You ready?" Penny stood at the door, her blonde hair in a cute updo above her snazzy black dress. They were going to go out with Bernadette for one last fling before she left.

"Yes, bestie. I am close to concluding my dissection. Would you like to help me clean up?"

Penny gagged a little, and it wasn't just because the smell of formaldehyde. "I think I'll wait in the car."

"She's cleaning up her lab and will be right down," Penny said as she climbed in to Bernadette's car. "I never thought I would ever actually miss that loon." Amy's odd ball way of going about things was definitely strange, verging on creepy from time to time, but that didn't change the fact that she would be missed.

Bernie was tapping her steering wheel impatiently. She knew that she too was going to miss her as well, despite how awkward Amy tended to make situations. "Have you given any thought about meeting up with Katie, that girl I went to high school with?"

"I don't mind. If it means us getting another girl that adds some sanity around here, I am more than happy to make such a meeting less awkward."

Amy tapped on the window and Bernie unlocked to doors. "So what men are we going to dazzle with our goodies tonight?" Amy waggled her eyebrows.

Penny raised an eyebrow of her own. "Dazzle with our goodies?"

"How else do you expect to bring some fancy boy home?"

Penny turned to face Amy. "Who said I was bringing anyone home?"

Amy shrugged, "Well, given the ratio of drinks had to guys brought home, I believe you're getting close to bringing your next one night romper home with you."

Penny just stared at her, and then shook her head, letting it go. "Let's go Bernie."

* * *

 

Amy stumbled to her door. Tonight had been amazing, even if she didn't bring Prince-Charming-with-the-ginormous-guns home with her. As it so happened, the guys had been at the bar as well. So Penny had gone home with Leonard, after a few drinks had convinced the both of them that they wanted to get together again. Bernie, of course, went home with Howard, because, well, that's what engaged couples do. Raj had been there, but she had no interest in trying to copulate with someone who couldn't even form a sentence when she was around. Sheldon had not been there, as he had, according to Leonard, better things to do than worry about goodbyes.

She was a little hurt, but by now it was nothing new. She fumbled trying to get her key into the lock.

Her apartment seemed empty. Everything was boxed up, thanks to the help of Penny and Bernadette over the past few days. Boxes were stacked high on the counters, floor, and furnitrue. The only items that remained out included her night bag, a change of clothes for the next day, and the sheets on the bed.

She stumbled into her bedroom and collapsed into her bed, not bothering to change. The world was swimming around her, and she didn't want to chance the teetering and tottering that would occur if she stood up. She knew it was her last night here, and her buzz had her floating in that happy place that made her not care.

* * *

 

Howard, Raj, and Leonard were worn out, and tired of Sheldon leaning on the nearby lamp post and shouting orders. It was a relief when the last item went into the truck. Bernie had only just showed up, and was off to the side talking on the phone. Penny was actually tearing up.

"Oh bestie, it's not that bad. You can always come up and do sleepovers in Boston." She gave Penny a smile. "We could have naked pillow fights. I hear that's all the rage!"

"I'm not so sure about that but I'll definitely visit, Ames."

Amy went to the guys and thanked them for their help. Bernie came over and offered her a hug. Penny wiped her eyes as she walked over to give her a friendly embrace as well. "I'll miss you bestie."

Sheldon stayed rooted to his lamp post. He nodded to Amy. "It was a pleasure to have experienced your brain power. I am sure I will never find a brain quite like yours again. Have a great life in Boston." And with that, he rigidly turned and went to Leonard's car. He climbed inside and just looked at the window.

Amy watched him as he went to the car. A little pang of sadness assaulted her heart, but with a deep breath she turned to face the moving truck. She climbed into the passenger cab of the truck and didn't look back. Within minutes she was gone.

In the car, Sheldon turned his face to watch the truck drive off. He didn't feel right, didn't feel right at all. What was happening?


	2. The Invitation

Penny's head drooped. She was having a hard time staying awake. She and Leonard had been up for a good chunk of the night, and this episode of Doctor Who wasn't helping her drowsiness.  _What the hell is a time lord?_  Her head sagged even more. *snore*

"Um, Penny?" Leonard nudged her with his elbow. He seemed exasperated. "You're missing the best part!"

She tried blinking the sleep out of her eyes. She sat up, "Sorry." She looked around sheepishly, observing everything but the best part of the episode. The apartment was a mess, which would have been fine if it had been her's. But it wasn't. The coffee container was by the xbox, the cylon toaster sitting in the middle of the living room, candy wrappers strewn about. Labels were askew everywhere.

"Has Sheldon come out today?" She asked Leonard.

It had been two weeks since Amy had left for her new job in Boston. She had kept in touch with Penny via text, Facebook, Skype, and every other social media applet she could get her hands on. Sheldon, however, had stopped talking to her. He had stopped pretty much doing everything, except showering, eating, and going to work. He hadn't even gone to the comic book store, despite how much the guys had tried to get him out of his room.

"Nope. I think he's still hung up on Amy." Leonard smirked. "Who would have thought? Maybe Sheldon is a human after all."

"Oh give him a break. We don't know what she was to him."

Leonard shrugged. "So what are you up to today?" The music signaling the show was at an end played in the background. That cheered Penny up a bit.

"I'm going to get coffee with Bernadette to meet an old friend of hers. We might end up with a new addition to our little group."

"Oh boy, someone else that Raj won't be able to talk to."

"Yeah, probably. I'll let you know how it goes. I need to go get ready." Penny leaned over and gave Leonard a peck on the cheek.

* * *

He had seen this episode of Farscape at least five times in the past week. Ugh, the weekend. He wasn't allowed to go to work on the weekend. He stole a glance at his whiteboard, hoping that something there would be enticing enough to peak his interest. But he'd already solved the problem that was strewn in disarray across the board's surface.

He, Sheldon Cooper, the physicist, the one typically void of any outward semblance of emotion, felt alone. He had felt alone for the past two weeks. He had no one, save the squabbling he heard from Leonard and the guys, with which to have what he deemed an intelligent conversation with.

He went to work day in, day out. He ate his food, and showered, but he had not felt the need to participate in his normal routine. The only routine he kept was the type of food he ate each night, but that he would take to his room and eat while watching some repeated episode of Farscape. Every night someone tried to take him somewhere, but he was stubborn and wouldn't comply. It's not that he didn't want to go eat at the Cheesecake Factory, or that he didn't want a new comic book, he just didn't want to leave the apartment.

He didn't understand his condition.  _It must be some kind of emotional result of not being mentally stimulated. I haven't talked to Amy since she betrayed our friendship to go to Boston. Yes, it must be that. I need to do something to mentally stimulate myself, I need to get back into my normal routine. I'm Dr. Sheldon Cooper, I don't let something like this keep me from reaching my potential._ Only normal humans had emotions, and in no way did he consider himself to be normal.

With that, he decided to leave his room, stepping out into the living room where Leonard was staring at some show on BBC America.

He took a seat in his spot on the couch and instantly gave into a feeling of comfort as the familiarity of his spot returned to him. "Did I miss this week's episode?" He looked to Leonard.

Leonard was gawking at something under his face. He seemed perturbed. "Um, yes, Sheldon, you did. The angel's…"

Sheldon gasped, "Spoilers, Leonard, spoilers!" The angels were such a great part to the Doctor Who series and the idea that they were back delighted him. "Did you record it?"

Leonard paused. "Uh..." He flipped the menu to their recordings on their DVR. "I think we're out of space."

Sheldon's eyes widened. "I missed the new Doctor Who episode and we don't even have it recorded?" He looked frantic.

"Relax, Sheldon. You can wait until it comes out online."

"But then I can't enjoy the view on our large tv, from the comfort of this couch. I don't want to wait." He looked pouty.

"Fine. Just pout until you can watch the episode." Leonard said. He was still gawking at Sheldon. "Are you trying to grow a bird's nest on your chin?"

Sheldon had completely forgotten. 'Oh, I know. I was so perturbed by the lack of intellectual stimulation in the apartment that I just let myself go."

Leonard glowered at him. "Gee, thanks. You don't think that maybe you're upset that Amy left? She was your girlfriend after all."

"Leonard how many times do I have to tell you? She was not my girlfriend. She was a friend, that was a girl. There's a difference."

"If you say so. That doesn't change the fact that you miss her."

"Perhaps I miss her brain." He toyed with his 'bird's nest' while looking around at the apartment. "Now Leonard, how did you let this apartment get so bad?"

Leonard scowled. "How did  _I_? You were the one that did all this."

"Just as well. I need to return order to this hellish apartment. First order, putting that toaster toaster back in its place. And then, a shave."

* * *

Kaitlyn fidgeted nervously at the cardboard Starbucks cover on her drink. She didn't know why she was so fidgety. Maybe it was the prospect of seeing her old friend, Bernie. Or maybe it was the venti Carmel Macchiato with two extra shots of expresso. Maybe it was both.

She had tried to not to overdo it. Her long, dark auburn hair was in a half-do to keep it all from touching her face, although there was nothing she could do for her bangs. Her tunic blouse was a plain shade of blue that fit very snugly across her chest. With this she wore a pair of pale cream capris. She had done her best to cover up her tattoos, but when you have seven, that's a little difficult. Her eye of Ra still showed itself on her ankle, a few inches above a pair of blue pumps.

She looked at her drink.  _Oh my goodness I'm going to regret this,_  she thought as her stomach tied itself into a knot. She looked at her watch.  _Every time, I swear._ She bolted for the bathroom.

Bernie and Penny walked into the comfy café as soon as she had rushed into the bathroom. Penny ordered herself a grande chai latte with a little whipped cream, while Bernadette just simply got herself a tall Earl Grey.

"Do you see her?" Penny asked while dumping the contents of three sugar packets into her latte. She eyed a guy across the room, mixing the whipped cream and sugar into her late.

"Not yet. Maybe she's late. Oh, stop it, you're with Leonard." Bernadette chastised playfully while also giving the guy a once over.

"Oh please, Bernie. Just because I'm on a diet doesn't mean I can't look at the menu." They both giggled.

Kaitlyn emerged from the bathroom with a weary look on her face. Her stomach still had a knot inside it.  _Every time. I swear I'm never drinking coffee again. Then again, who am I kidding? Maybe next time I'll make it Irish coffee. I'm not a lush, I'm not._

"Katie?" She paused. She looked around to see two blondes standing directly to her right.

"Katie!" All of a sudden she was lost in hug with a short, bouncy, curly-haired blonde. The taller blonde just gave her a small smile.

"Bernie? Have I gotten taller or have you gotten shorter?"

Bernie giggled, "I think you're cheating." She pointed to the three-inch heels Katie was wearing, that Penny now seemed to be eyeing with the same intensity that she had eyed the man across the room. Katie was just as short as Bernadette, but liked to take advantage of the height heels gave her.

"Oh heels are an amazing feature. Here's to hoping I don't have to go into therapy over them. They kill my legs."

Penny perked up, "But at least they're super cute."

They all sat down at the table Katie had been at before. "I'm Katie, by the way," she said, nodding to Penny.

"Oh, how silly of me," Bernie exclaimed. "Penny this is Kaitlyn, Kaitlyn this is Penny, as if that isn't obvious at all."

"So, how are you two?"

Penny gave her the basic introductory information—she was an aspiring actress who just so happened to be stuck at the Cheesecake Factory and also happened to be dating an incredible guy, an incredibly nerdy guy. Bernie then got her up to speed on all of the things she had missed during the past twelve years-graduate school, her getting her PhD., meeting Howard, and getting engaged.

"You're engaged?" Katie squeeled.

"Yeah, to Howard believe it or not." Penny said sarcastically. Katie looked lost.

"Oh you'll see, sweetie." Bernadette shot Penny a look. "Now tell us about you. What have you been up to all of these years? Why are you in LA?"

"Well, I actually opened up my own clinic about a year ago. I'm doing Physical Therapy now. It's a small clinic, but I love the people I help."

"Oh that sounds lovely. What do you do outside of work? Any boys we should know about?" Bernie asked.

"Boys? As in plural?" Katie giggled. "We're not in high school anymore, Bernie. I'm actually lucky to get a date now, with work and all that. Lord knows, I haven't had an orgasm that wasn't my own doing in damn near a year." She looked around to make sure she hadn't said that too loudly.

She shrugged. "I have my own place now though. It's absolutely amazing. You'll need to come by and see it sometime." She paused, as if considering something. "You know what, I have a friend holding a party at my place tonight. She just won an award for a piece she wrote, so I told her she could host the party at my flat so long as she cleaned up after. Why don't ya'll come by?"

Penny perked up. "A party? Oh that would be a nice change to video games and science fiction movies as our usual Saturday night."

"What's so bad about that?" Katie asked.

"If you have to ask, you have no idea." Penny shook her head. Bernie giggled.

"Oh that sounds like it would be a blast. Can we bring friends?" Bernie asked. "I could bring Howard."

"Anyone is welcome," Katie said as she wrote her address on the cardboard insulator she had been fidgeting with earlier. She handed it over to Bernadette. "I'll see you tonight then."

* * *

_*bzzzzzt*_

Leonard's phone vibrated on the glass coffee table. He read the text message from Penny.

"Who is it?" Howard asked. He and Raj had arrived earlier to have a go at a Sonic game they had rented for the WII.

"Just Penny. She wants us to go to a party tonight. Apparently Bernadette's friend is having some sort of get together, and a pretty large one at that."

Raj perked up. "Is this friend a girl?"

"I think so." Leonard shrugged. He really hadn't gotten that much information, but he assumed as much considering the catholic school was presumably an all girls school.

"Girl's are so cuddly. I just want to keep one forever." Raj said, with an eerily dreamy look on his face. "Like a pet."

"It doesn't matter how cuddly they might be, that doesn't change the fact that you can't talk to them without some kind of alcohol helping you out." Sheldon had emerged from fixing himself up. The apartment had been cleaned to his satisfaction and he had directed his attention to riding himself of the 'bird's nest' that had been growing from his chin.

"That's a little harsh, buddy." Howard said, eyes transfixed on the game in front of him. "True, but harsh."

"So are we going?" Raj asked hopefully. His hope for a girlfriend was relentless.

"Only if Sheldon will go," Leonard proposed, hoping this would put enough guilt upon Sheldon to get them all go.

"Oh please, I am perfectly content with my video games and close friends tonight. Who needs alcohol, music, and fun hokery-dokery?" Sheldon looked at them all expectantly. Everyone but him raised their hands.

"Dude, please? There will be girls there. I like girls." Raj tried to pout. Sheldon just looked disgusted at the attempt.

"What about Doctor Who? I missed today's episode."

Howard paused the game and looked at Sheldon. "Sheldon, it will still be on the internet when you come back. You haven't left this apartment for something other than work for two weeks straight. Maybe getting out and meeting some new people will help you forget Amy leaving."

"Maybe you're right, I highly doubt it, but maybe. Well if it's going to be a party, I need to put my party shirt on." He left for a minute and came right back with his favorite flash t-shirt. He doubted any fun would be had at this soirée, so he grabbed his laptop as they walked out the door, hoping he would have some time to watch the Doctor Who episode he had missed.


	3. The Party Begins

She glanced at the celtic-patterned clock that was up on her wall. There were two more hours until the party began. Bernadette had texted her saying they would all be over once they had stopped somewhere to eat. Katie had been invited to join them, but she had been preparing the flat for Christine's party. She was happy for Christine; the award for her writing was a big deal. She wanted to make the party as enjoyable as possible, so she had hired someone to maintain her bar, that way guests wouldn't be voiding her bar of her most expensive liquors. Not that they couldn't be replaced, she just wanted moderation when it came to things like a $150 bottle of scotch.

Tig brushed up against her leg. His long fur was still damp from her attempt at bathing him. A soft meow came up from the floor. "Hey, little dude" she cooed as she picked him up. He was immediately purring. She absently scratched his chin while she looked around to make sure everything was in place. The finger foods were all being refrigerated to prevent spoiling before guests arrived; towels had been placed out on the patio if anyone wanted to get into the hot tub, everything seemed ready.

"Where's your sister?" She asked the purring brown and white tabby that was in her arms. A glance in her office answered her query, since her office chair seemed to be Trin's favorite spot. She grinned at the odd position her other kitty was dozing in, on her back, paws in the air, a little pink tongue sticking out just slightly in the furry calico mess.

 _I'm officially a crazy cat lady at 30._ To her she hadn't had a choice in the matter. Her parent's neighbors had thrown their own two cats out when they were in heat. The result had been her parents being overwhelmed with two litters of kittens that had overtaken their yard and garage. Her last visit home had ended in her bringing the brother and sister, the sweetest of both litters, with her when she had moved to LA.

Still holding Tig, she checked to make sure her DVR had recorded her shows for the day, and then she went to prep her office to keep the cats during the party.

She checked the clock upon exiting her office. An hour and a half left.  _Time to jump in the shower and get ready._

* * *

He still couldn't believe he was having to wait to watch the Doctor Who episode.  _How could I get into such a funk that I missed an episode of Doctor Who? I've never missed an episode! And now I'm being dragged to this party. Maybe I'll be able to slip to a quiet corner and watch it without anyone noticing._ He smirked in the back seat, laptop stowed away neatly in its case.

That was an annoyance as well, being in the back seat. Penny was driving them to the restaurant, so Leonard got dibs on shotgun. Sheldon was still a little huffy about that. "The game of shotgun is to award the person who calls dibs first, not award the person who just happens to be sleeping with the driver." Penny groaned and he looked out the window at the cars they were passing. Her speeding always scared him. That and the engine light always being on.

They pulled up to the Cheesecake Factory as Bernadette pulled in beside them. They had tried to have Sheldon agree to going to somewhere new, but his anal retentiveness put a stop to that. So they decided to go somewhere familiar to avoid more of a fuss.

"Oh Penny, this will be so odd without you taking our order." Sheldon stated as they got out of her red VW. "How will I know if someone doesn't mess with my food?"

"How do you know that someone doesn't mess with your food anyways?" Sheldon grimaced at that as they walked into the restaurant.

* * *

Kaitlyn didn't feel like being super girly tonight. Well, she never felt like being super girly period, but she made an exception for tonight. Her hair was down, and she was flaunting some cleavage, but other than that she looked plain. She couldn't make up her mind between heels again or her favorite pair of Converse shoes. She really wanted to wear the Converse. Taking a look in the mirror, she frowned. Her low cut green halter and skin tight black jeans didn't go well with them at all. Disappointed, she put the heels on that she had set aside.  _I guess I don't get to be comfy after all._

She hadn't lied earlier, she loved heels. But the reason was more because she could be taller, not by how they looked or felt. She had never really been all that girly. In fact, most people had suspected her to bat for the other team because of all the years she had played softball. That perception of her had changed once she had started dating, and partying, and doing tons of things she probably shouldn't have.

Her phoenix and dragon tattoos were obvious in the open back of her halter, but those were the only two tattoos that were visible for tonight's party. She felt uncomfortable without a bra, like perhaps one of the twins would pop out of the halter she wore. This top always made her feel awkward, but she always got more than enough compliments for it, if only because it brought even more attention to the Ds she sported.  _Well that's at least one good thing I got from my mother._

A little squeak came up from her feet. Trin was brushing up against her. She never really could meow, she just squeaked and clicked and made the oddest assortment of noises she had ever heard come out of a cat. "Hey you, time for you and your brother to go into the office." She walked down to the kitchen, grabbed the cat treats, went back upstairs to the office, and shook the bag once. Immediately the two furballs were there in anticipation. She fed them both a treat in turn, and then shut the door behind her as she walked out.

*Buzzzzzzzzz*

The call box startled her. It was Christine, the bartender, and the first few guests waiting to be let in. She looked up at the clock. Right on time. She buzzed them up.

Smoothing down her clothes, she waited patiently.

* * *

They pulled up to the apartment building with Sheldon sulking in the back seat again. A valet came to Penny's door, much to their surprise. Bernadette pulled up behind them.

"A valet? Really?" Penny was a little astonished as she gave her keys to someone she didn't know. She couldn't help but to smile.  _  
_

"Is Bernie's friend loaded?" asked Leonard as he his door was opened for him.

"I have no idea. She didn't seem like it."

Bernie walked up to them with just as much astonishment on her face as she held her parking tag in her hand. They all grouped together as the two cars were taken to be parked. They approached the fairly tall building, only to be greeted by a doorman.

"Good evening. Are you here for the Fielding party?" he asked politely.

They all, save for Sheldon, who seemed distracted by the height of the building, just nodded as the doorman opened the door for them. "Top floor. Have a nice night."

Sheldon was still looking up at the building. "What exquisite architecture…." He looked to be pondering how everything had been placed to make this building so amazing.

"Sheldon!" Leonard shouted out to him from inside, a little impatiently. The doorman was still holding the door open for him, but did not show any indication of being irritated, as many people would have by now.

"Oh, yes." Sheldon rushed inside, wishing he could admire the building a little longer.

The lobby was well-decorated with tapestries and old-fashioned furniture, a pool could be seen through a glass wall opposite of the entrance. An elevator was situated just to the left. It, too, had a man operating it for them.

Sheldon was appreciating not having to touch a thing. Not the car door, not the entrance door, and now he wouldn't have to touch the germ-ridden elevator buttons.

* * *

They stepped out of the elevator, and into a small hallway. Bernadette walked up to the one door there, and rang the doorbell. Katie opened it a moment later.

"Bernie!" She exclaimed excitedly, giving the short blonde a hug. "I'm glad you could make it." She stepped back to let the group in.

A good forty to fifty people were mingling about the flat. Light pop music could be heard in the background. The flat was gigantic. A modern looking hallway greeted the group as they entered, with a giant mirror handing on one wall. The hall opened up into the expansive living room, that had an entire wall made of glass that looked out at the city. A door to the right opened to the patio outside. Another door to left opened up to a gigantic kitchen with marble flooring and counters. A dining room could just barely be seen around the corner. A staircase appeared before them that seemed to go on up to a second floor, where presumably the bedrooms were located.

Bernadette's eyes showed the shock she was in. "Oh my Katie! You've really done well for yourself." That was all she could really get out, without letting her know how intimidating this was. All she could do was introduce her to the group, and them to her.

"Thanks hun. It's so great to meet you all. Make yourselves at home. Christine is over there…" she pointed to a room on the other side of the living room that sported a bar, "if you would like to congratulate her. It's an open bar, there's music, food, and so on. This should be fun." She grinned at them.

Rag immediately left to go to the bar, needing some liquid courage, as there was definitely plenty of women in the flat. Howard and Bernadette went over to introduce themselves to Christine and congratulate her on her achievement. Penny complimented Katie on her cute choice of shoes, and then went with Leonard to look around the flat. That left Sheldon standing awkwardly just in front of the hallway.

"Make yourself at home, hun." Katie repeated to Sheldon.

"I heard you before. There's no need to say things more than once with me. I'm just not sure what to do." He looked at her for first time. Her hair was like autumn, her green eyes were sparkling, and the freckles that speckled her skin were becoming to her. Sheldon was a little taken aback. He found himself looking down at the cleavage that was accentuated by her green top. Trying to be polite, he averted his eyes. "That's top compliments your figure nicely." He said awkwardly.

"Why, thanks, I guess." She raised an eyebrow, not having been complimented so awkwardly before. "Well, you can start by congratulating Christine. It is her party after all. There are plenty of people you can get to know."

"Her party? Is this not your place?" Sheldon looked puzzled. He didn't understand why someone would host a party for someone else at their own place. It seemed a silly concept.

"Yes, but I wanted to do something nice for her. She's a good friend and my place is a  _tad_  nicer than hers. Our deal was that she could have her party here, so long as she cleaned any mess that was left behind."

"Well I think I will take your advice, and go congratulate this woman on her trivial writing…" he stated, trying the play off the writing as non-important. After all, it wasn't physics. It wasn't even a science. Sheldon paused, transfixed by something on her wall. "Is that what I think it is?"

Katie stood next to him, the top of her head reaching only just above his shoulder even with her heels on. "Depends on what you think it is."

Sheldon was a little excited. "That appears to be a print of the Tardis painting that was used in the Van Gogh episode of Doctor Who."

"It's not a print." She stated simply.

Aghast, Sheldon whirled around. "You can't be inferring that Van Gogh himself painted this."

Kaitlyn giggled. "Absolutely not, dear. It's the original painting that was used in the show." She pointed to the signature of the artist who had painted it in the corner.

"You're kidding me!" Sheldon gasped.

"Nope. It's been touched by David Tennant himself, too." She said a little dreamy eyed. She shook it off. "Anyways, I need to do some mingling. It may not be my party, but it is my flat." She turned and left Sheldon in his shock.

He stood there staring at the painting in disbelief, and then finally turned to walk away so that he could do what was socially acceptable and congratulate this Christine. Since it was, in fact, her party.


	4. The Alcohol Addition

Katie looked around. Two hours in and so far the party appeared to be going well. She had attempted at making small talk with some of Christine's coworkers, but they honestly bored her. Christine was off in a corner chatting up some hunk of a guy. Kate wasn't going to get in the middle of that, Christine deserved to have some fun. A group of people had turned up the music and had started dancing in the middle of her living room. She could see a scrawny guy and a bouncy short blonde dancing it up—she could only assume that was Bernadette and her fiancé.

She walked around to the bar and nodded to the guy she had hired. Having bartended back during college for some extra cash, she was more than willing to hire someone to do this job for her. Across the bar, the young indian man Bernie had introduced to her as Raj was making out with one of Christine's coworkers.  _Good for him._

She went behind the bar to mix herself a drink. No matter how many drinks she knew how to make, jack and coke had always been her favorite. She poured herself a large dose.  _I'm not going anywhere, no need to be worried about how much I drink._ Her mother would be proud; her Russian blood was strong with this one.

Glancing around, Katie noticed the tall guy sporting a Flash t-shirt she had talked to earlier sitting at the bar. He took a shot, and then immediately spat it back out. He kept repeating the process. She walked over to him, slightly annoyed..

"It's Sheldon isn't it?"

He glanced up at her, having just tried to swallow the shot again, only to spew it back into the glass.

"Yes." He said, a little apologetically.

"Is there a reason you're wasting perfectly good scotch?" She eyed him.

"Well, I would like to drink, but I'm not a fan of alcohol. It burns. It burns so badly." He gulped some water.

"Honey, you're drinking that straight, of course it's going to burn." She found this humorous. "Have you considered maybe trying a drink where you can't taste the alcohol? I bet I can find something you like."

"I seriously doubt it."

"Come on, try me. What do you like?" This could be an interesting challenge.

"Well can you make me something fruity?" He questioned. "But not girly?"

Two ideas popped into her head. "Well let's try these. You can try them, and if you don't like them we can keep looking for something." He nodded his approval, a little hesitantly.

Katie grabbed her favorite shaker from under the bar. It had been a gift to her when she was in college as kind of a gag gift. But she had really enjoyed it. The shaker had an outer layer that would rotate to reveal different recipes for different drinks; it was part of how she had gotten interested in bartending anyways. She grabbed some amaretto, her sour mix, and the garnishes necessary to make an amaretto sour. She mixed them together and poured a glass for Sheldon and for herself.

"Here you go, hun." She said, sliding the glass in front of him, and taking the shot he had been trying to down and pouring it down the sink.

He looked at it speculatively. He noted the cherry and orange garnishes. He sniffed it. Tentatively, he took a sip. His face indicated it wasn't a winner.

"Too sour," he complained, spitting the drink back out.

She dumped what was in his glass and rinsed it. All the while, she downed her amaretto sour and went on sipping her jack and coke.  _I'm not a lush….._ she thought as she worked on the cherry stem between her teeth.

"Okay, now for the second one."

She went over to the kitchen and grabbed some juice from her fridge. This drink was something that she had invented that everyone she had given it to had always enjoyed. If she had had it in college, she might have earned some good tips from it. Coconut rum went into the shaker first, to a level just above the ice. Then two shots of butterscotch schnapps went in on top of that. To top it off, she poured the white grape-peach juice in to the top, covered the shaker, and shook until it was so cold it was hard to keep a hand on the shaker. Sheldon watched this entire process with rapt attention.

This concoction she poured into Sheldon's glass, and slid over to him. It had a light green color to it.

Again, Sheldon sniffed the drink. It was definitely fruity. He took a sip, and his face lit up. This one was a winner.

"Oh my!" he exclaimed. "I can't taste the liquor at all." He took a big sip.

"Whoa buddy. Don't drink it too fast." Kaitlyn cautioned. "Just because you can't taste it doesn't mean the alcohol isn't there." She turned and showed the bartender how to make the drink in case Sheldon needed it again. Grabbing her jack and coke, she turned to do one last round of mingling, humored by the sight of Sheldon not spitting out her alcohol anymore.

* * *

Everyone was having a pretty good time. She had finished her rounds and was ready to have some time to herself. Katie didn't really know everyone here, but she was glad she had helped Christine have a great party. She took one more look around and started to head toward the stairs.  _I am so ready to get these heels off._ Her feet were aching. She was ready to sit down, have a drink, and catch up on her shows.

Passing by Penny and Bernadette, she thanked them and their guys for coming by and wished them a great night. Their friend Raj looked to have skipped out with Christine's coworker.  _At least someone is getting some tonight._

Katie walked by the bar, and realized Sheldon was still in the same spot where she had left him. There were three empty glasses in front of him, and he was working on a fourth. He looked a bit sullen.

"Sheldon?" She touched his shoulder and he about jumped out of his skin, spilling a little of his drink in the process. "Might I inquire as to what's wrong?"

He sighed. "My brain counterpart is gone. I feel so alone. And I missed today's episode of Doctor Who."

"Well, honey, I don't know about your brain counter thingy, but I can help out on the Doctor Who." She gave him a small smile as his face lit up at the mention of it. "It's on my DVR."

His face fell. "But it's way too loud here…" he gestured at all the people drinking, dancing, and whatnot around them. "And what would I do about my drink?"

 _Oh geez, what did I do?_ Katie giggled. "That's an easy fix." She grabbed the rum, schnapps, and juice and put them in a bag. She offered her hand to Sheldon. He just looked at it, dumbfounded. "Come with me."

Tentatively he took her hand. On any other day he wouldn't have touched it. But three drinks in, his inhibitions regarding touch were going out the window. She led him up the stairs and to the master bedroom. He stopped at the door.

"Now hold on, missy. I'm not some, some sex slave for you to drag around as you will." He took another sip of his drink.

She sensed his hesitation. "Dude, I'm not bringing you up here for sex. It's quieter, I've got a big screen television in my room, and we can watch Doctor Who." He relaxed. "Besides, if I wanted to bring you up here for sex, I doubt I'd have to drag you." At that he scoffed, but entered the room anyways.

She poured him another drink and directed him to the couch in front of her TV. She started the episode and went to go take off those heels. Blisters had started to form and her feet were aching.

* * *

He felt dizzy. And a little confused. Maybe it was the drink. He'd never truly enjoyed alcohol before. He watched the few commercials that had been recorded before the episode had started. He couldn't help but glance to where this gorgeous woman was taking of her heels.  _Wow, she's actually pretty short. And pretty. And, oh my…_  He kept ogling even as she turned around.

Katie noticed and snickered quietly to herself. This was amusing to her. "The episode is starting; you might want to watch it instead of me." His face flushed red at being caught and he jerked his head towards the television.

He tried not to notice when she sat down on the opposite side of the couch. Sheldon sat there sipping his yummy drink while enjoying some Doctor Who.

* * *

Penny looked around. This had been an amazing party. Raj was gone with a girl.  _Won't that be a hoot and a half in the morning._ She and Leonard were about to head home. Bernadette and Howard had already left.

Leonard was giggly. "I can't wait to get back, so we can have some fun."

"That's if you don't topple over, sweetie." She replied coyly. "Where's Sheldon?"

"He hasn't responded to my texts. Maybe he caught a cab and went home." Leonard shrugged. "You know he wasn't keen on coming anyways."

"Okay then. You ready to go?" She asked, pulling on her jacket.

"You  _know_  I'm ready to go." At that, Penny rolled her eyes, and led Leonard out the door.

* * *

Almost an hour later, and the episode was over. Sheldon was ecstatic, probably from the combination of watching the show, and having the alcohol. His head was swimming along pleasantly.

Katie checked her phone. It was already almost two in the morning. She had many texts from people thanking her for the party, Bernadette being one of them. She returned the necessary reply and then paused. It had just hit her.

"Sheldon, sweetie, have you gotten any texts or calls?"

He looked at her blankly and handed her his phone.

_[Inbox: 8 Texts; 3 missed calls]_

"Honey, I think your friends left you here."

A look of shock swept over his face and then quickly disappeared as he took another drink.  _I'm guessing he's a bit happy. I can just let him sleep in the guest room, and take him to wherever he lives tomorrow._  She shot Bernadette a quick text to let her know what had happened.

"Well, you stay put. I'm going to do a quick check around the flat." He ignored that and followed her anyways, mumbling something about paradigms.  _Well, ok then._

It looked like the apartment was empty. There were a few stray bottles here and there, but otherwise the apartment was pretty clean. She went down the last step and had to steady Sheldon as he almost fell. His glass was empty, so she took it from him despite his protests and placed it in the kitchen, and all the while he followed her. She started picking up the stray bottles and heard him humming the Star Trek Next Generation theme. Katie looked up to seem him doing some kind of dance as he hummed.  _And apparently this guy is supposed to be a genius. What amazing things alcohol will do._ She shook her head and took the bottles to the trash.

A door opened and closed as she put the full trash bag by the door. She turned just in time to see Sheldon go out onto the patio and get into the hot tub…..pants and all. She gasped and quickly went to go get him.

"Sheldon, what are you doing in the hot tub?" She asked as soon as she stepped out onto the balcony, stifling a giggle at the drunk physicist who was humming Star Trek tunes in her hot tub.

"Nothing…." He replied in an almost childish manner, not skipping a beat.

"Um, honey, you're wearing your pants…..and your shoes…in the hot tub." Kaitlyn pointed out. "That's not normal..."

"Oh, you're right!" Sheldon exclaimed as he quickly got out and, much to her surprise, disrobed right in front of her. He was still kind of dancing/swaying.  _That's not normal either._

 _Oh my goodness!_ She blushed, covering her face. Katie couldn't help but to stifle a giggle.  _Apparently a genius plus liquor and a hot tub equals nekkidness._ She took a quick peek, and gota nice view at the naked, dancing Sheldon. His little cute butt jiggled as he moved and as he turned she got an eyeful.  _Oh!_  Even though it was swaying about, it was a very nice and tidy- _Oh and sizeable-_ dick. Katie's ears began to burn, so she averted her eyes. She could hear him getting back into the hot tub.  _  
_

"I'll be right back, Sheldon," she said in response to a where-ya-going kind of whine that came from the hot tub as she walked back inside the flat. She couldn't find any of the towels that had been set out for just this kind of situation.

She ran up the stairs and grabbed a towel from her bathroom, and took it down to the balcony. "Sheldon, sweetie, you're drunk." A whining noise from the bath tub: " _But I don't wanna get ouuuuut_."

"I think a shower would do you good right about now." Katie averted her eyes and held out the towel until she felt it slip from her fingers. She peeked and he had been a good physicist and put the towel around his goods. She grabbed his soaked clothes. "Now come on." He took her hand as she led him back inside. They stopped by the washer as she threw his clothes in to be cleaned, and then took him upstairs to the bathroom.

Kaitlyn opened the door to her bathroom and indicated where the shower and towels were. "Here you go, honey," she said as she turned and closed the door. She waited until she heard the shower start.

Mewing could be heard down the hall, so Katie went to let her cute little furballs out of the office. She then went back to her room and proceeded to change into some boxers— _What? They're comfy—_ and a white tank. She set aside some boxers that she thought might fit Sheldon so he at least would have something to sleep in tonight.

"K-K-Kaitlyyyyyn" she heard her name being called from the bathroom.

Afraid he may have fallen, she rushed in. He had slumped to the bottom of the shower. She opened the glass door to her standing shower. The shower was still on, the water warm, and she was getting soaked in her boxers and tank. She helped Sheldon up.

"That better? You almost done in here?" She asked him, about to turn and dry herself off so she could put a fresh change of clothes on. He just gawked at her as he leaned against the wall. She looked down to figure out what he couldn't tear his eyes from.

 _Oh damn._ Katie's tank was soaked through and sticking to her form. Her breasts showed clearly through her tank, with the dark points of her nipples marking the center of each breast. Her boxers clung to her skin as well, making distinct creases where her legs met the rest of her body. Her ears started burning and she new she was blushing.

_Well…this could get interesting._


	5. The Shower Enactment

The buzzing in his head seemed to decrease as the water ran down his body. He leaned against the wall of the shower to try and slow the spinning around him. With each drop of water it seemed as though his mind was being put at ease. Since Kaitlyn had brought him up here to watch Doctor Who, none of his worries had come to mind. He may have been a bit loopy, but he was at least happy.

He looked around in the shower for some soap and found it on a neat little holder attached to the wall. He bent over to try to grab for it, but ended up slumping to the floor instead. Sheldon giggled.  _Is this what feeling drunk is like?_ He looked down.  _Why am I naked again?_ Then he remembered the hot tub and his impromptu jump into it, clothes and all. And then there was the stripping. He didn't know why he had done it, but it had felt like the right thing to do at the time. It was embarrassing and amazing at the same time.

The water was nice and warm. He raised his head and let it splatter on his face.  _How relaxing._ Then it struck him, he had done all of this stripping nonsense in front of someone he didn't know. And not just that, he had done it front of a woman. A beautiful woman at that. The thought of it made his cheeks redden.  _What was her name again? Ah, yes, Kaitlyn._

 _Maybe I should finish this shower,_  he thought drunkenly. He tried to get up, but found that he couldn't. He had no choice-he needed help.

"K-K-Kaitlyyyyyn," he shouted, hoping she could hear him over the shower.

A few seconds later the auburn headed beauty came rushing in. She was wearing what looked to be a white tank and a pair of men's boxer shorts. Kaitlyn immediately opened the door to the shower and rushed in. She leaned over to help him, despite getting soaked.

"That better? You almost done in here?" She asked him.

He couldn't manage a sound. Her clothes were soaked. It was the most revealing thing he had ever been witness to in person. Yeah, from time to time, he would find some of Leonard's rentals and would watch them out of curiosity, even if they were animated. Not that he ever let anyone be privy to that knowledge, as he had to maintain that he was an emotionless robot that had no idea what sexual desire was.

But this, this was different. Her tank was sticking to her perfectly round mounds and he could clearly see her nipples as they protruded from the center of each breast. He could see the faint outline of a tattoo underneath her right breast. This was nothing like the videos he had seen. She was something to behold. His heart started to race.

Sheldon watched as she looked down quickly at her body and realized. Her face turned bright red.

She turned to leave the shower, but Sheldon reached out and touched her arm. She froze. He traveled his fingers down her arm, marveling at the feel of her skin. Her breathing had accelerated and she was looking at him now. He looked into those dazzling green eyes as he found her hand and he gently pulled her towards him.  _What on earth am I doing?_ He was tempted to let go. This was not like him to, one, be naked in front of someone he didn't know (or in front of anyone), and, two, be touching someone else while in such a condition. He could feel a throbbing beginning to emanate from his groin.

She placed a hand on his chest and started tracing her fingers along his muscles as the droplets of water ran down the surface of his skin. Each touch seemed electrifying. Her hand moved up to his shoulders, and then to his neck, and then finally to his face, where she caressed him. He blinked for a second and was astonished to find her on her toes with her face just a few inches from his face. He lowered his head instinctually and then felt the light brush of moist skin across his lips. The sensation startled him.  _That's a kiss.._. She took both of her hands and wrapped them around his neck, forcing their bodies to press against each other and making his member pulsate as her stomach pressed against him.

_Oh God Oh God Oh God What am I doing Oh God Oh God Oh God Oh God_

Sheldon began to have a mental freak out, yet even despite that, he pressed Kaitlyn against the glass, kissing her urgently. She groaned, something that surprisingly pleased him. He began running his hand along her body, moving down along her body as he went. He grazed a breast and rubbed her nipple through the thin cloth of her tank, feeling it harden against his palm. Another groan emanated from her lips. His hands explored her body further, and the further his fingers went, the more she squirmed. He felt the overwhelming need to make her squirm more. He peeled the boxers from her wet skin and moved his hand further down, finding a small mound of hair a moist area of smooth skin. Her body reacted to his touch. Sheldon's fingers worked their way around her labia, centering on the nub that began to send her into a frenzy. Her mouth broke from his as her breathing became a pant, and then a moan. He worked his new discovery in an increasingly rhythmic motion until eventually a breathy cry came from Katie, and her body relaxed against him. The sensation was pleasing and stunning all the same.

* * *

Kaitlyn's face was flushed and she was trying to catch her breath.  _This is certainly unexpected._ She placed a hand on his chest again and pushed him against the opposite wall of the shower. He looked a little confused.

"My turn," she breathed heavily, kissing him deeply, pressing her hot skin against his, and lightly gripping his cock so he could grasp her meaning. She heard him gasp. Kaitlyn had considered taking this as far as it could possibly go, considering how much her body ached for it, but she thought better of it.  _First, he's drunk, and this would probably would be a bad surprise in the morning. Secondly, I have a feeling that all of this is the first time this has happened for him._

She began kissing his chest as she moved lower and lower, all the while stroking his dick with her hand and tracing her fingers along the curve of his hip with the other. Eventually she was on her knees in front of Sheldon. She looked up at him with a pause.

"Sheldon?"

She heard an inaudible murmur as he opened his eyes and looked down at her. "Is this new to you, sweetie?" He gave a small nod and his cheeks turned a shade pinker than they already were.  _Yep, I was right._

"It's ok. You're just going to want to lean on the wall for support and maybe keep a hold of the bar there." He gave her an odd look. "Just trust me."

She turned her attention back to the dick in her hand, looked up at him, and licked it from base to tip. She felt his knees give a little and heard him grab the bar. Katie started moving her tongue in a circular motion from the base until finally she reached the the small stretch of skin-called the frenulum-situated just under the head. She took a breath, and then guided him slowly into her mouth, taking him in to the hilt. He moaned as she began to work with her mouth and hands, creating a rhythm as she glided him in and out of her hands and moth.. She could feel his hips begin to thrust with the motion she had initiated. She took him as deep as she could and with each thrust he moaned more. Eventually he seized and a stream of bitter warm liquid filled her mouth with his final thrusts.

Katie turned her face to the side and spat. She took a mouthful of water and again spat. She stood and let the water run over her body. Sheldon was still gripping the bar and breathing heavily. She gave him a grin.

"Holy Shit," she heard him say from under his breath. He looked a little embarrassed.

"There's nothing to be embarrassed about, honey. Finish your shower and then get ready for bed," she said as she stepped out of the shower and peeled off her tank top. She grabbed one of the nearby towels and went about drying off. Kaitlyn heard him shut the shower off and get out himself.

"There are some boxers there that I believe should fit you. I also have some spare hygiene supplies if you would like to use them." She pointed to a drawer under her sink where she kept a stock of toothbrushes, travel containers of mouthwash, and extra floss.

She began her nightly routine, even though it was almost 3 am at this point. She washed her face and went about taking care of her teeth. She did an extra bit of mouthwash beforehand considering the work she had just done.  _Well that's not how I thought tonight would go, but it definitely was not bad._

Katie walked out to the bedroom and got another tank and pair of boxers to sleep in. She heard Sheldon approaching her. The boxers she had given to him fit perfectly and his hair was tousled from the towel he had just used. The image before her was a stark contrast to the man she had met at the door earlier tonight.

"Where will I be able to sleep?" he said with little bit of a slur to his words.  _He must still be a little drunk._

"Well, you can sleep here or in the guest bedroom. It's up to you." Despite what had just happened, she was sure he felt awkward. It would be ok if chose to sleep by himself.

"I think I'll take the guest bedroom," he said with a slightly apologetic look to his face3.

"It's right down the hall, second door to your left." Tig came scampering in after Sheldon walked out of the room. He jumped up on the bed as she got in it and turned out the light.

Not five minutes later, Sheldon was back. "There's someone in there. A couple it looked like. I think one of them is your writer friend. I guess I'll be in here with you."

Tig hopped down when Sheldon walked over. He seemed nervous as he sat on the edge of the queen-sized bed. "I'm sorry about that."

"There's no need to be sorry sweetie. Just get in bed."

"But that, all of that, is so unlike me. I normally can't even stand being touched by someone other than myself. And normally the idea of touching another person scares me." Katie could see the faint lines of a grimace on his face in the faintly lit room.

Katie propped herself up on an elbow. "Was it not nice?"

"Oh hell, it was more than nice. I hadn't known what I was missing. I just don't know what brought me to do it. I acted spontaneously. Maybe it was the alcohol."

Katie raised an eyebrow. "So, you're saying that if you had been sober and we were in a similar situation, that you would not act the same?"

"I don't know. I'd like to think so, but I've never been in that position before," Sheldon said with a slight shrug.

"Well thank you Sheldon Cooper." Katie sighed.

"What for?"

"For making an exception."


	6. The Morning Realization

Katie had woken early, despite having only fallen asleep just five hours before. She stretched her legs out and her foot lightly brushed upon what felt like skin. She froze, and then suddenly remembered. Dr. Sheldon Cooper was in her bed, after a night of awkwardness and alcohol. Katie thought back to the moment they had shared in the shower. It was an image she couldn't shake from her mind. The water running down his body. How he had been a fast—very fast—learner. His hands as they had explored her body. Bitting her lip, she shook her head, as she looked up at the ceiling fan above her.

 _He'll be lucky if he even remembers that,_ she thought, shaking her head.  _All that liquor._

Kaitlyn quietly slipped out of her bed. Light was just barely peeking through the curtains covering her windows. She could see Trin curled up in the crook of Sheldon's arm.  _Well isn't that cute._

She made her way downstairs, stopping by her laundry room to move Sheldon's clothes from the night before over to the dryer. A giggle escaped her lips in remembrance of the fiasco that had begun with his jumping into her hot tub. Oh, what a sight that had been. She added a dryer sheet to the clothes, and as she closed the door to the dryer, she hit the button for the delicate cycle. The rhythmic whirr faded as she walked towards the kitchen.

Coffee was already brewing.  _Thank god for coffee makers with presets._ Then she frowned.  _Damnit, it's a Sunday and here I am up at 8 am. What's wrong with this picture?_ She started prepping for her morning coffee routine. Milk,  _check._  Splenda,  _check._ Steamer, _cleaned and check._ Katie pulled her favorite oversized mug from her old college down from the cabinet and set is aside while the coffee brewed. She absently filled the food dish nearby at the insistence of Tig's mewing every few seconds.

 _Breakfast?_ She opened the fridge.  _Hmmm. I guess I could make something up before taking Sheldon back to his apartment._ She starting taking out the ingredients for a wholesome breakfast—eggs, thick sliced bacon, pancakes, and hashbrowns.  _Is Christine up yet?_  Katie mused as she shut the door to the fridge. She paused, a note had been placed under one her photo magnets.

[ _Kaitlyn,_

_Thank you so much for last night. I had a blast. Sorry for the mess in your guest bedroom. I'll take care of it as soon as I'm done with church._

_Christine]_

Well, that must mean Christine's *guest* was gone as well.  _So a breakfast for two. Oh hey the coffee is done._ She filled her steamer cup halfway with milk, and started to froth it up.  _Here's for another work experience that happened during college. Starbucks—love drinking their stuff, hated working there._   _Why does this damn thing have to be so loud?_  Thirty seconds later and the foamy milk was done, ready to mixed with her coffee and splenda. A groan could be heard from upstairs.

* * *

 _Oh, hell._ His head was pounding and his mouth felt dry. Sheldon began to stir, opening his eyes. Sunlight was just barely peeking through the curtains, and even that seemed to be too much for his eyes. He felt a vibration in his left armpit. A small brown and white tabby had his head propped up on Sheldon's shoulder and was looking up at him. He could faintly hear a slight purr match the vibrating he felt.  _Awwwww. Wait…whose cat is this?_

Much to Tig's dismay, Sheldon sat up with a jolt. He looked around.  _This isn't my room._ He looked down.  _Where are my Saturday night pajamas?_ He started to get frantic, trying to remember last night's events.

 _Did I drink?_  The throbbing in his head confirmed his suspicion.

He tumbled out of the bed. His eyes were finally adjusting to the brightness.  _Blegh, boxers._ The boys were a little too free down there for his liking. He made his was way out of the bedroom, following the scent of cooking bacon down the stairs.

When he reached the kitchen, he saw a short redhead at work at the stove. She was sporting a white tank and a pair of boxers herself. He could see a tattoo of what looked like a dragon peeking out from beneath the right strap of her tank.  _Wait…_

 _White tank…boxer shorts….._ an image with water and an auburn beauty filled his mind.

He gasped, "Oh hell."

* * *

"Oh hell."

Kaitlyn just about had a heart attack. She spun around, spilling some of her coffee in the process. "Holy hell in a blender!"

Sheldon had inadvertently snuck to the counter behind her. His cheeks were flushed, his eyes looked like they couldn't get any wider. He honestly looked a little disgusted.

"What did you do to me last night?" He looked frantic now. "Did we….?"

"Did we what, exactly?"  _Yep, he's hungover. And apparently the events from last night are a little fuzzy._

"Did we engage in coitus?" Sheldon asked. The flush on his cheeks had disappeared. Now he looked like he was going to have a meeting with the porcelain god.

Kaitie couldn't help herself. She giggled. "Coitus? Are you friggen kidding me?" The look on his face told her that he was not, in fact, kidding her.

"Well, we fooled around a little. But I wasn't going to take advantage of you considering your...inebriation...so no, we didn't actually have sex." Katie turned back to the stove to flip some bacon. The pancakes and hashbrowns were already plated; now for the eggs.

"We didn't?" he sounded a little resentful. "Then where are all of my clothes?" He stood there awkwardly in the boxers she had given him the night before, covering his bare chest with his arms.  _You weren't so modest last night…Mr. Star Trek man..._

"Dude, you were a quarter past drunk last night. You decided to take a dip in my hot tub with your clothes on!" She grinned at that, knowing the next part would probably drive him nuts. "And then you decided you didn't need your clothes. So you stripped while humming some tune to Star Trek." She stifled a giggle, leaving out the fact that he had been dancing as well. "And then you just got right back in." His eyes were like saucers from his shock. It was hilarious.

"Your clothes got washed and are now in the dryer," she said, nodding her head in the direction of the rhythmic whirr. He relaxed, if only slightly, and then groaned, placing a hand on his head.

"Coffee?" Katie had already poured him a cup.

"I'm not allowed to have…" he started. He groaned again.

"I think it might help. Just this one time."  _Since when is someone not allowed to have coffee. Odd._

She placed the cup in front of him, along with some aspirin. The eggs and bacon were finished, so she finished up a plate for him and slid it to where he stood near the counter, nodding towards the stool nearby. "Eat some food and then we'll check on your clothes."

He seemed hesitant. "Was the plate clean?"

She paused during the process of making her own plate of food. "Yes."

"Did you cook the bacon to just the right point to where it's not too chewy, but not too crunchy?"

 _What the…._  "Yes."

"Was the environment and your hands properly cleaned before handling this food?"

 _Ok, I can be OCD, but this is friggen bonkers._ "Yes," Kaitlyn let out with an exasperated sigh, taking her plate and sat on the stool next to him. She took a bite.

"So what do you do for work?" He gaped at her as she mumbled through a mouthful of food.

"One does not speak with food in one's mouth, otherwise bits of phlegm, saliva, food particles can be sprayed willy nilly." He gave her a disgusted look, like he might hork right there. "And if you must know, I'm a theoretical physicist at Cal Tech. I have an IQ of 187. I have two master's degrees, a PhD, and a doctorate in science. "

"Well, ok then." She continued eating.

"I'm working on getting the Nobel Prize soon for my work. Isn't that just exciting?"

_Oh yeah, buddy, exciting is the word for that._

"Why aren't you impressed?" he said in an aghast tone.

"It's not that I'm not impressed, I'm just a little jarred by how different you are compared to last night."  _Is this really the guy I almost slept with?_

"This is my usual self. Last night…" He sighed with a disgusted look on his face. "…was a one time thing. I don't see it happening again." He paused. " Social protocol…"  _Social whats it?_ "…suggests that I'm required to ask you too what you do for a living."

Katie put her fork down, and chose to ignore his obvious aversion to what had happened the night before. "I'm a physical therapist and I own my own clinic about a block away from here." She wiped her mouth with a paper towel.

Sheldon scoffed. "That doesn't sound too important."

"I help people from various backgrounds on a daily basis. It's very pleasing to know that people can now walk that might not have been able to do so otherwise. I have a doctorate as well thank you very much."

"That may be so, but it's not physics."  _Can I punch him?_ His voice rang with a know-it-all attitude. It was obvious the food, aspirin, and coffee were putting him into lighter spirits. She felt a bit offended. Having her own clinic was her dream, and here she had it. And he denounced it like it was nothing.

She could hear the buzzer for the dryer go off. He perked up at the sound of that. Katie grabbed their plates, rinsed them, and placed them in the dishwasher for the next load. Sheldon was still sipping his coffee, wincing at the taste.

Katie had grabbed his clothes— _Thank god they're dry. I think I prefer drunk Sheldon—_ and handed them to him. "Bathroom's upstairs," she nodded.

"I have an eidetic memory. I remember that." Sheldon retorted.  _Uh huh, but apparently that doesn't apply to everything that happens when you've been drinking._

She took what was left of his coffee and poured it out, and then placed it into the dishwasher as well. Grabbing her cell, she shot Bernadette a text saying that the loony she brought over was about then be returned. She ran up to her room, followed closely by Trin, who then jumped on the bed and began cuddling with her brother. Trin started cleaning Tig's face-it was one of those super cute things Kaitlyn loved about those darn cats.

She threw on some dark jeans and a t-shirt.

* _Bzzzzzt_ *

[ _I'll let Penny know you're heading over. Thanks for last night. Sorry he got left there. :( –Bernie_ ]

 _How in the hell do you get to 30 without not knowing how to drive?_ She mused while waiting for Sheldon to hurry up. She took her time going back down the stairs.

Sheldon appeared at the entrance hallway five minutes later, looking as if he had just washed his face. Kaitlyn decided to try to be, at the very least, thankful for last night. She reached out a hand to try and caress his hand, but he winced away.  _Ok then. Apparently no touching._

"Listen, honey. I wanted to thank you for last night." She tried to sound sincere. "It was nice for what it was."

"Oh please, woman, keep your hormones in check," he said as he squirmed past her to the door. She scowled at his back as they walked out into the hallway.  _Fuck you too buddy._

* * *

The car ride had been spent mostly in silence, except for the occasional direction from Sheldon as to where she was supposed to drive, much to Katie's enjoyment. As the morning had unfolded all that really been accomplished was Sheldon throwing her for a loop. She still felt aggravated.

"This is it up here on the right," he said quietly from the passenger side seat. He sat in silence as she parked in a parallel spot right in front of a red Volkswagen.

A knot formed in her stomach.  _Every damn time._ She groaned. "Do you mind if I come up and use your bathroom?"

He huffed as he climbed out of her metallic blue '72 Camaro. "If you must, then come on." He motioned to the door to the apartment building.

They made it to apartment 4A without a word, and as soon as he opened to door—"First door on the left in the hallway."—she made a run for it.

* * *

He placed his keys in the appropriate bowl. Leonard and Penny were on the couch watching Chocolat. Leonard looked slightly uncomfortable.

Shelon glowered at them.  _Not only did they leave me in some odd place last night, but they can't even have a proper movie on when I come in._

As soon as he heard the bathroom door shut he turned to them.

"Now in what right mind was it ok to leave me in some odd place last night? With..." he gestured towards the bathroom, "her?"

"Look man, we thought you had already left. You had made it pretty clear that you hadn't wanted to come in the first place." Leonard shrugged apologetically. "We tried calling and texting you, and when we didn't hear back, we had assumed you had come home."

"Wouldn't it have been incredibly obvious if I wasn't here?" Sheldon's tone was annoyed.

Penny perked up in defense of Leonard. "Sweetie, he didn't come here straight away, if you catch my meaning." His face indicated he didn't. "He came over to sleep with me."

"Was it really that bad anyways?" Leonard asked. "I mean, dude, you were at a woman's place, and it was a snazzy place at that. Did something happen?"

Sheldon's face went white, and his eye twitched. "No." He went over and placed his laptop back in its proper spot on his desk.

"Are you sure?" Penny asked. It was obvious he was keeping something from them.

He sighed. "I don't want to talk about it." He took a seat in his  _spot_  and resentfully watched the chick flick playing on the TV.

* * *

 _Oh jeezus, little duckies on the bottom of the tub? How old is this guy?_ She finished up washing her hands.

Things seemed a little awkward back in the living room when she walked out. She nodded to Sheldon, "Thanks for letting me use your restroom." She continued walking towards the door. Penny got up to walk with her.

"We really do appreciate you bringing him home. Sorry to have inconvenienced you last night," Penny said as they both walked out the door. They paused on the landing. "We didn't know he hadn't come back until Bernadette texted us early this morning." She looked guilty.

"It really wasn't that bad. He's just kind of a…." Katie searched for the word to describe him.

"Whack-a-doodle?" Penny chimed in.

"Oh hells yes."

"He seemed a little off a few moments ago. Did something happen while he was at your place?"  _Well aren't we a little nosy?_

Katie's cheeks flushed. "That's up to him to decide," she said, getting irritated again. She didn't want to give away too much, even if it wasn't sex. That would be up to Dr. Pain-in-the-toosh to decide.

It was obvious Penny didn't want to drop it, but the glare Kaitlyn was giving her must have convinced her to keep her mouth shut on the subject. "Well, we should hang out sometime, get to know each other. Lord knows we could use another woman around here. Someone sane you know?"

That seemed to relax Katie's glare a bit. "Ok, just let me know when you and/or everyone else would like to get together." She gave Penny her number, and then turned to head down the stairs.  _At the very least maybe she could get some non-work friends out of this whole ordeal._ "Bye!" She heard Penny say to her back as she took each step in turn.

* * *

He didn't know if he should have felt proud about what at happened or disgusted. After some thought he figured it was better to let it go, and just not think about it. He was Dr. Sheldon Cooper after all, which meant he was not to acknowledge that he had a shred of sexuality.

The entire ordeal earlier with Kaitlyn had been a ruse. He had enjoyed himself. Immensely. But he was Sheldon, and he didn't know how to go about these things. The situation this morning had been tense and awkward. She had tried to been nice to him, that much had been obvious, but he hadn't known how to react. It seemed logical to just act as though what had occurred last night was simply some foul act that need not occur again.

 _It's time to take up Kolinahr once more,_  he thought as he watched Kaitlyn walk out the door. He decided to dismiss her from his mind, since he didn't see any reason he would see her again.


	7. Unwanted Confrontations

These past two weeks had been insane. Fielding Rehabilitation—Kaitlyn's clinic—had taken on fourty-three new patients this week alone, and it was only Wednesday. She had had to hire another therapist and two more techs just to make sure everyone was receiving the therapy they had paid for. Having her clinic expand so quickly over the past year was honestly a little frightening. It had been so unexpected that she would have had something so successful. Tonight was her first real night off. She had trudged home around four that afternoon and had been trying to relax. Katie had over a week and a half to herself, save for the convention she had to go to..  _Oh the joys of owning your own place._

She sat in her favorite recliner—an extra-large suede "cuddler" chair back that she and Justin had gotten while they had still been engaged. It had been advertised as a chair that two people could share, to cuddle as they watched movies, played games, and whatnot. Now it was just hers, and she sank into the middle of it while she eyed her bottle of Blue Moon. Tig was curled up in the crook of her knee while she was trying to find another dragon to kill in Skyrim so she could get another dragon soul to unlock a shout.  _Oh fuckin-a, I would be one to get attacked by a mammoth….and bandits….and a dragon all at once._  She watched her character die and wondered when she had saved last. The most recent save loaded, and she gasped to find that she hadn't saved after the last tomb she had explored. And with that….. _FUUUUUCK it. *rage quit*_  Katie took a swig from her beer and switched her tv over to cable.

* _Bzzzzt*_ Her cell vibrated from her back pocket. Twisting herself around to reach it, she accidentally nudged Tig in the process. "Sorry, little dude." He looked at her with his cute little sleepy face, and laid his face back down.

[6:10 pm— _Penny:_   _Hey girl, what are you up to tonight? Still working?_ ]

 _Hmmph. Thank god._ This was the first time Penny had gotten a hold of her since she had given her her number after the 'Sheldon Saturday' two weeks ago. She typed a quick reply.

[6:12 pm— _Tonight's my first night off, actually._ ]

[6:16 pm— _Penny: Great! Bernie and I are doing a girls' night, but it feels odd without Amy here. Want to be our newest addition? We plan on going out dancing._ ]

 _Girls night, eh?_ Katie had never really had a true girls' night before. She had had one that was similar once, back when she played softball in college. But it was a little awkward when a third of the team hit on you during said girls' night.

[6:20 pm— _Oh hell, why not? Meet at your apartment in 20._ ]

She looked wistfully at her beer, there was still half of a bottle left.  _Damnit._ She looked down at what she was wearing—a pair of plaid shorts and a black tank with her Converse shoes on.  _Double damnit._  That obviously wasn't going to pass for a girls' night.  _20 minutes, okay, let's do this._ She shooed Tig off the chair and got up, racing to the kitchen and pouting while she poured the rest of her beer into the sink. She went and grabbed the first things that looked cute enough for a girls' night, but wouldn't immediately categorize her as a slut.

She grabbed a dress that hadn't been worn yet. It was purple and satin, had a low V-neck that extended to a point just below her breasts, and the back draped to her lower back. Her black pumps matched nicely and added a good three inches to her height. She grabbed a small duffel bag and threw some overnight clothes in it, along with some jeans, a tee, and her black Converses. She had the rest of the week off, so she had every intention of drinking, and it was better to be prepared in case she crashed a couch, or something better. Glancing in the mirror she checked her appearance, and updated her makeup from work that day.

Louis was there in the elevator like he was every day. She greeted him warmly. "Should I call a cab Miss Fielding or would you like to go down to the garage?"

"Garage, please." Louis selected the appropriate button.

The apartment building had been her fathers. Kaitlyn had received it as a part of her inheritance upon his death. It once had housed distant relatives in the past, but now it had been updated, and she rented out the other apartments to other tenants. One perk of owning the place was having her own parking area. She had inherited three vehicles from her father as well, in addition to the Jeep she had bought back in college. There was daddy's Bentley, and the bright red mini cooper that her mother had chosen for her as a graduation gift. She past these three vehicles though, making a beeline for her '72 Camaro.

Before it had broken down, it had had all original parts. It had been her first car and had been a real junker, and it had devastated her when it had stopped running. She had intended to work on it with her father, but by that point she had needed to leave for college. She drove the mini cooper after that at the insistence of her mother, but she had never really enjoyed it as much as the Camaro. Two years before he died, he had it completely revamped—all new parts, modern components, a beautiful metallic blue paint job, with thin black stripes—as a present for her birthday. She ran her fingers lovingly along the hood.

* * *

Kaitlyn arrived at Penny's apartment a good four minutes before she had said she would be there.  _Four flights of stairs in these heels. Eeeesh._ She rapped lightly on the door.

Penny opened the door within seconds, looking a little distraught. "Hey," she said, meekly. Bernadette was already there, having supplied Penny with a glass of wine.

"Is something wrong?" Kaitlyn asked? She didn't know Penny all that well, but wanted to do her best to gain a new friend. Penny sobbed.

"It's Leonard," Bernadette explained. "He left earlier today to go see his ex-girlfriend, Priya, who's visiting her brother Raj."

"But I thought you and he were together," Katie said, facing Penny. It had appeared so when they had been at that party.

Penny flushed, a tear falling down her cheek. "We looked like we were heading that way. The other night was just a lapse in judgment."

 _Aw, that sucks._ "You still want to go out? A few drinks might do you some good."

Katie and Bernie enticed Penny to get dressed. Katie took her wine glass, and Penny headed to her bedroom with Bernadette to find something to wear that night.

*knock knock knock* "Penny?"

Katie poured the wine down the sink.

*knock knock knock* "Penny?"

She turned and headed to the door.

*knock knock knock* "Penny?"

She opened the door. "Penny, it's Halo ni….." Sheldon paused and looked a little flushed. He straightened up, he was holding an XBox 360 controller in his hand. "You're not Penny."

"Nope," said Kaitlyn.  _This goof again…._ "She's back in her room getting ready."

"Getting ready for what?" Sheldon looked put out. "It's Halo night. That doesn't involve getting ready for anything."

Kaitlyn let Sheldon come in and closed the door behind him. "Well, now it's girl's night."

He started pacing. "That's unacceptable. Just completely unacceptable. First, Leonard bails. Then Raj, both because of that hussy that's his sister." He gave a gaspy laugh at his insult. "Howard's with his mother. How on earth am I supposed to have Halo night by myself?"

Penny came out of her bedroom in a cute gray ensemble. "Penny, it's Halo night!" Sheldon exclaimed, rushing over to her.

"Honey, she's going out tonight. She needs some fun." Bernadette told him.

"What new hell is this?" He was pacing again. "Halo night without any Halo."

Katie just watched. Penny gave her an apologetic look for having to witness this.

"You can always come with us, Sheldon." Bernadette piped up. "I remember how you went dancing with when we went out with …..Amy." She said the name quietly.

Sheldon's face lit up at the mention of dancing despite his comment about how he didn't enjoy dancing.  _There goes girls' night._ Katie sighed.

* * *

They had decided upon taking Bernadette's car to go to the club. Katie was stuck in the back seat with Sheldon. He was beaming, rattling on something about physics and particles and whatnot. She just looked out the window at tried to count the seconds until they got to there.

They didn't have to wait to get in; the bouncer let them in ahead of others who looked like they had been there for a while. He nodded to Katie in recognition.

As soon as they were in the club, Katie turned to the others. "Ya'll find a table. I'll get drinks." They gave her their requests. "Diet coke," Sheldon told her, with some feeling of purpose.

He followed Bernadette and Penny to a table, squirming in between people to try and not touch them. Some women he passed eyed him. Bernie had forced him to at least dress up a little since they were going out. He had put some dark jeans and a button up shirt that his sister had apparently given him on.

"I don't think is the type of dancing you had insinuated," he murmured to Bernadette, remembering last time he had gotten to do ballroom dancing. He looked around at the people around them. The dancing they were doing seemed a lot more personal the ballroom dancing did. Discomfort showed on his face.

Katie returned with their drinks, and told them there was a tab in her name. She gave Sheldon a glass with a little umbrella on it. He looked suspicious.

She gave him a glare. "It's diet coke. Scout's honor."  _I've never been a scout._ She rolled her eyes.  _It was just diet coke though._  "The bartender was against just giving me a can." Sheldon pouted, but began to drink it anyways.

* * *

The girls went out and started dancing while Sheldon just watched them and the people around them, sipping his diet coke. Two girls came by and attempted to give him their numbers and he just gave them a look of befuddlement. He was lost in thought. Sheldon hadn't even given Kaitlyn a thought, like he had promised himself, until he had seen open Penny's door. He swallowed dryly, and took another sip of his drink. Memories flooded into his mind about the last time he had seen her. And here she was, flaunting every curve that was humanly possible.

He shook his head, watching the girls from the table they had chosen.

* * *

Katie dismissed herself from the dance floor and went over to the bar. She waved Andrew, the bartender, over. As she was about to make a request, and then someone touched her shoulder.

"Kaitlyn?"

She froze. That voice was too familiar, even if she hadn't heard it in years. She turned and her suspicion was confirmed.

"Justin." She nodded to him with a cold look on her face. He was wearing a tight black polo, and some jeans. The sleeve on his right arm barely covered the top of an army corp tattoo.

"How are you, baby?" Justin asked, caressing her shoulder. She shrugged off his touch.

"I stopped being your baby two years ago," She answered bluntly.

He tried to caress her again. "Oh come on. That was forever ago." He moved closer, touching her face. "Wanna dance for me?" His voice was throaty. He was too close for her liking. She could smell the vodka on his breath.

"Back off." She warned him, grabbing his wrist tightly.  _Get away from me, you asshole._

They had been together for a year and a half before he had proposed. He was going to be stationed over in Iraq so the engagement had been sudden. She had been foolish enough to believe he loved her, despite the abuse he put her through, but that was only up to the point where she had caught him in bed with two women not a day before he was to be deployed. She had ended it then and there. She didn't know why he was in LA.

Katie moved to get away from him, but he grabbed her harder, forcing a vodka drenched kissed so hard on her mouth that her lips mashed into her teeth. "C'mon, you know you wanna have some fun, baby. Later? We'll fuck like we used to." He forced another kiss upon her, to which she yelped.

She glowered at him, but she was helpless. She couldn't move in the embrace he had her caught in.

"Hey, buddy." Penny had come over. Justin turned to face her. "Hey, baaaaby…" * _PUNCH*_ Her fist met his nose.

He let go of Katie with a groan. Justin turned to strike Penny, but Katie turned him back to her, and proceeded to give him a swift kick to the groin with foot equipped with a 3-inch heel. At this point security was dragging him out the door before he could attempt anything else.

Kaitlyn was shaken. She turned to the bar, trying not to burst into tears. "Andrew, shots." She said with determination, pointing to the area in front of her on the bar. "And keep them coming."

* * *

He had been transfixed on Katie while she had been dancing. When she had walked towards the bar, he had followed her with his eyes. Sheldon had observed as she had smiled to the blonde bartender, and as some tall man had approached her a small pang of jealousy had hit him.  _Hmph. Why should I be jealous. She isn't mine. Keep your emotions in check, Sheldon. You're a physicist._ He sipped his diet coke and watched.

The tall man was muscular, in a scary way, and had short dark hair. This mystery man touched Katie's shoulder as she was talking to the bartender. Katie turned, and seemed to acknowledge this man. She didn't seem at all pleased to see him, flinching away as he had tried to touch her.  _I guess there's no reason to be jealous._

Penny came over to the table, laughing and out of breath. "Sweetie, you really must dance and enjoy yourself."

"Later," he said. He was still staring at Katie and her mystery man. Penny followed his gaze.

"Who is that?" Penny asked as they both watched the man get close to Katie. She looked panicked. She grabbed his wrist and tried to push him away, tried to walk away. He grabbed her roughly.  _Who is this man to treat her in such a way._ Sheldon felt his ears burn; he clenched his fists.

"Whoa, now I don't give a shit who it is." Penny started working her way towards the bar.

Sheldon stiffened as he saw this man force Katie into a kiss against her will. She was squirming. And he did it a second time. Sheldon had never felt so enraged. He put down his coke, and started heading to the bar as well, Bernie joining him as he headed that way.

At that point Penny had gotten his attention, and had promptly punched him in the face. Having been released, Katie took her chance to give him a swift kick to the balls. The man crumpled to the floor, and was drug away by security. Sheldon was still on his way to the bar.

* * *

Penny sat down next to Katie, who was in a mix of anger and shock. Penny massaged her knuckles. Shots were laid out in a line between her and Katie. Katie started with the one on her left. She shuddered.  _Tequila._

"Sweetie, who was that?" Penny asked, concerned more for her now than she was worried about the whole issue with Leonard. Sheldon and Bernadette showed up then, Bernie placing a consoling arm around Katie's shoulder.

Shot number three was gone. She gasped from the strength. "Once upon a time, he used to be my fiancé."

Sheldon watched quietly as she took another shot. Bernadette gasped, "Was that Justin?"

_And now shot number five._

That was five shots in a manner of a minute. Penny's eyes widened. She grabbed the last three shots so there wouldn't be a sixth, seventh, or eighth and downed them as quickly as she could to get them from Katie.

"Yeah." Katie started sobbing. Sheldon backed away a little, until he accidentally bumped into someone else, then he squirmed from having touched someone.

Katie signaled for more shots from Andrew. Eight more were lined up. Penelope gave Bernie a meaningful stare, and they both took shots to reduce the number.

* * *

Sheldon kept count. Six. Seven. Eight. NINE? He wasn't entirely sure what was making her drink these in such succession. He couldn't handle even one shot of strong liquor without spitting it out.  _Whatever is going on, it must be big._

He sat on the other side of Katie, ordering another diet coke. He eaves dropped while starring out at people on the dance floor. Sheldon heard her explain the issue to Bernadette and Penny. He picked up on the main points.  _Ex-fiance…..army guy….used to date back where she had gone to grad school and had started working at a Physical Therapist…had walked in on him with two women._ Both women gasped.  _Something about abuse…he had hit her on multiple occasions…_ Sheldon tensed at that.

Penny looked over at Sheldon and motioned him over to her.

"Sweetie, can you do me a favor?" She gave him a pleading look. "Take her out there," she nodded to the dance floor, "and cheer her up."

Sheldon frowned at her. "Why in hells bells would I want to do that? There's so many germy people out there."

"Non-optional social convention." She said pointedly. Sheldon slumped at that.  _At least now she isn't crying._

He stepped towards Katie.  _And there goes shot ten._ Hesitantly, and at the nod from Penny, he took her hand. Katie stumbled out of her chair and followed him.

Sheldon positioned her like he would a waltz. She looked lost. He looked up at Penny who had followed them. She shook her head, gesturing that he was to dance like everyone around them. The blood in his face drained.

Katie was starting to giggle and twirled under his fingers. She let go of his hands and began moving with the rhythm of whatever song it was they were playing. Her hips gyrated as she moved. From head to foot, she was like a blade of grass dancing in the breeze, and it was oddly appealing. He swallowed, looking at Penny for inspiration. She took Bernadette's hand and showed him how to move with her. Sheldon grasped Katie's hand, and mimicked Penny's movement. Penny nodded in approval.

_This isn't that bad. Not difficult at all._

Suddenly Katie was rubbing against him as she moved.  _Uhhhhhhh._ His face shot up to Penny and she indicated that he continue doing what he had been doing before. A breast grazed his chest, she touched his arm with her hand, she was looking up into his face, another hand found its way to his back.A familiar feeling began to come over him, he felt flushed. And then her hand wandered to cup his butt.  _Oh God Oh God._

Sheldon squealed and ran off the floor. Penny and Bernadette rushed to catch Katie before she toppled over.

"I think it's time to go," Bernadette said, helping guide Katie to the door. Penny rushed to grab their belongings and helped get Kaitlyn to the car. Sheldon was already standing there, impatiently.

* * *

It took their combined efforts to get her up the stairs without her passing out. There was no way she was going to be driving back to her place tonight. After about fifteen minutes, they got her to the fourth landing. Leonard was waiting outside of Penny's apartment.

"Penny, we need to talk." He said, fidgeting. Penny could tell whatever he had to say was going to take a while.

Sheldon unlocked the door to 4A and was about to shut it behind him. "Hold on a second there, sweetie." Penny and Bernadette were still supporting Katie's weight. She had started sobbing. Leonard came over and took Penny's spot so she could speak with Sheldon.

Sheldon turned. "Can she stay with you tonight?" His eyes turned cold.

"Must certainly not," he huffed. "I'm not keen on drunks sleeping on the couch….or on my spot."  _Or touching me._

Penny raised an eyebrow. "Non-optional social convention. When a friend is drunk, you help them out."  _Drat. Damn social conventions._

Sheldon pouted, opening the door wider. "Finally," complained Bernadette. She and Leonard got Katie over to the couch, where she sat mumbling something about a shower.

Bernadette was gone in a flash, and Leonard crossed the hall with Penny. He locked the door behind him.

* * *

Sheldon stood there staring at the drunk mess on his couch. She mumbled something.  _This would happen to me._ She mumbled again. He inched closer.

"Water," she croaked. "Water, please."

"Social convention dictates that I offer you a hot beverage, whether you're a willing guest or not. Would you like some tea?"

"Fuck your tea, Sheldon," she said slurring her words. She tried to get her heels off, but failed. She started sobbing again.

Sheldon froze.  _That crying again._ "Are you sure you don't want a hot beverage?" he asked uncomfortable, wanting to run to his room and lock his door. After not getting a response, he opted to grab some water instead of bolting for it. He turned back to Katie with the water in hand. She had gotten off the couch and crawled over to a duffle that appeared to be hers. She was fumbling with the straps on her heels.

She looked up at him with a pleading look. "Can you help please?" Katie gestured towards the shoes and her duffle.

Sheldon helped her back onto the couch. He took one heel in his hand and deftly undid the straps. The process was repeated for its twin. Blisters were rising on her heels.

Sheldon grabbed her duffle bag and unzipped it. There was a change of clothes and a pair of pajamas and a tank she could sleep in. It dawned on him. She needed out of her dress and into these clothes, and she couldn't do it herself. He took a deep breath.

He helped her stand and unzipped her dress. It fell to the floor around her feet. A matching bra and thong peaked up at him from her skin. He swallowed, trying not to let it get to him. She raised her arms, and he brought her tank over her head, slightly grazing her skin as he pulled it down over her chest. He grabbed her pajamas—they had a knight with no arms and legs and the quote "Tis only a flesh wound." He allowed her to brace her body on his shoulders as he helped her into the pajamas. She sat back down, water in hand.

Sheldon took another deep breath. His ears were burning.

*Bzzzzzt*

[1:09am— _Leonard: Sheldon, let her sleep in my bed tonight. It'll be better than the couch. I'll be here at Penny's._ ]

"It appears you can spend your night in Leonard's bed as he will be staying at Penny's."  _What a relief. Her drunkenness won't be drooling on my spot on the couch._ He didn't hear a response. Looking up from his phone, he saw that Katie had passed out.

"Drat." He hovered around her, not wanting her to sleep on the couch.  _How am I going to get her to Leonard's bed?_ The only answer, carry her. Sheldon sighed.

He bent over to pick her up. She stirred and absently wrapped her arms around his neck as he lifter her from the couch. He stumbled a little trying to get her to Leonard's room without falling over. Sheldon placed her in Leonard's bed and as soon as he tucked the covers in around her, she was passed out again.

He closed the door behind him and made a rush for the Purell.


	8. Never Have I Ever

The scent of brewing coffee roused her. Her eyes hadn't opened yet, but she was slowly but surely regaining consciousness. Stretching her hands out, Katie found a coarse fabric drawn up around her. There wasn't that smooth feel of her sheets that she was so accustomed to. Realization dawned on her.  _This is NOT my bed._ Her eyes flung open and she sat up with a jolt, immediately wishing she hadn't moved so quickly as the room spun around her. The feeling was much like being stuck on of those tea cup rides at the county fair…but with a hangover…. _Aw, shit._ She made a bolt for the door.

She gripped her mouth with her hand as she ran down the hallway towards what she hoped was the bathroom wishing that maybe keeping her mouth shut would keep a seal on her growing nausea. Throwing the door open, she found her assumption to be correct as she kneeled to the toilet. As she knelt to be a slave to her wretching, she noticed the small ducks on the bottom of the tub beside her.  _Oh hell_ was the only thought she could think as the first evidence of her alcohol intake from the night before came bubbling to her mouth.

After a few hellish moments, she immediately started to feel better. She leaned over to the side to breathe, so she wouldn't be taking in the smell that would just make her gag more. Memories came to her of the night before. Of Justin, and his drunken attempt to make them have a glorious night together despite whether she had wanted it or not. The thought of him made her shudder. Why he was in LA she didn't know, but she had no intention whatsoever in allowing him to let her be subject to an abusive rollercoaster of a relationship again. She was appreciative that Penny and Bernadette had been there, but she also felt bad that she may have ruined their girls' night.

She noted suddenly that she wasn't in her dress, but in her pajamas and tank. Then the memory of her drunkenness and her having to stay hit her. Sheldon had had to change her clothes for her. Lifting her blouse, she confirmed that she still had her bra on, although that fact somewhat disappointed her.

Her head reeled again, making her stomach start twisting into that familiar binding feeling. She propped herself up above the toilet again, waiting for the inevitable, but this time the feeling subsided. The scent of coffee was oddly calming, reminding her that eventually she would have to leave that bathroom. Taking a deep breath, she flushed the toilet and made her way to her feet so that she could wash up and go out to the hallway.

* * *

The thud of feet running down the hallway distracted Sheldon for a brief moment as he read a rather factually incorrect article on . A door slammed, followed by the obvious noise of someone puking.

"It seems that our guest from last night has awoken," Sheldon noted matter-of-factly to Leonard, who had come in moments before to get some coffee. He turned back to his computer screen, giving a gaspy laugh to the article before him.

"Sorry about that, Sheldon," Leonard said apologetically, pulling down two mugs. He placed them down on the counter, and grabbed the coffee to pour him and Penny some necessary caffeine. Sheldon merely just ignored his apology and continued his inspection of the article in front of him.

Penny walked in, her hair disheveled, and offered Sheldon a soft "good morning." She gave Leonard a wink to which he gave a great smile. He handed her the mug he had set aside for her. A flush could be heard from the bathroom.

"Katie still here?" Penny asked, taking her mug. Leonard nodded.

Katie made her way slowly out of the bathroom. The makeup on her face was smeared, and her in disarray. She made her way to the kitchen as Penny made her a cup of coffee. Katie slid onto the nearby stool, and gave Penny an appreciative look. She visibly sighed and took a small sip of her coffee.

Penny looked at her apologetically, "Sorry for making you have to stay here last night. Leonard and I…" Penny shrugged with a blush. "…we decided to officially get back together."

Katie raised an eyebrow as Leonard went to sit and turn on the TV. "What happened to that Priya chick?" Katie asked in a low tone to Penny, who had taken the stool beside her.

"Well, as it turns out, she is engaged. She was wanting to make sure everything was squared away between her and Leonard. Yesterday…" Penny shrugged, "…was just a miscommunication."

Sipping her coffee, Katie slid her phone out to check the time.  _8:12am_. She nodded towards Sheldon and Leonard, "Work?"

Sheldon closed his laptop, getting up to join Leonard in watching whatever show was on Syfy at the moment. "The University has given a considerable amount of time off for the national holiday. And apparently, it is not optional." He looked a little miffed as he sat in his spot.

"It gives us about a week and a half off." Leonard looked excited. "I don't know what you're all mopey about." Sheldon sighed, mumbling something about a schedule.

"Thanksgiving break already?" Katie asked, missing the days when you could take so much time off for holidays. As soon as she asked, she seemed a bit sullen.

"Yeah, Leonard is taking me on a trip this weekend. We leave in the morning!" Penny was incredibly giddy at the thought. Katie watched as Penny and Leonard exchanged glances, their faces bright. Another inaudible mumble was heard from Sheldon's side of the couch.

"Don't mind him, he's grumpy that everyone is disrupting  _his_ schedule to go do other things. Raj is doing stuff with his sister before she heads back to India, and Bernie and Howard are taking a little pre-wedding trip to see her family." Penny glanced at Katie, "What are you going to be up to this weekend?"

Katie checked her phone.  _8:34am._ She had until 11 to get ready. "I actually have a conference to go to. I leave in a few hours." Penny seemed disappointed, but Sheldon perked up at "conference."

"You? Go to a conference? Who would have thought? What conference is this?" Sheldon rattled off each question in rapid succession.

Slightly annoyed, Katie answered. "The University of Arizona has asked me to speak at an Applied Minds Conference there in Tucson. I'm to speak on a new method of physical therapy. I think there are going to be plenty of speakers there across several areas in science." Sheldon almost interrupted her, but she stopped him. "Yes, even physics." Sheldon looked like a kid in a candy store at that comment.

"Oh, no." Leonard groaned. "You really shouldn't have told him that."

Sheldon had made his way to the counter where Katie and Penny sat, looking at Katie with pleading eyes. "Can I go?" She groaned.

"Seriously?"

"Yes. I wouldn't have asked otherwise."

She gave it some thought. It was, afterall, almost an eight hour drive, and it would be nice to have company on the ride there. Plus, despite the events of the night before, and the amount that Sheldon annoyed her, she preferred his company to none at all. Sighing, she said, "Okay, you can come if you have a bag packed in the next thirty minutes. I need to have time to freshen up and pack myself before we leave." Sheldon was off in a flash.

"Aren't you a brave soul?" Penny asked, meaning it to be more of a comment towards Sheldon's idiosyncrasies. "What are you going to do about lodging?"

"Oh thanks for reminding me, I'll need to upgrade my reservation." Katie dismissed herself from the counter to make the call. She currently had a suite reserved for her at a nice place just outside of Tucson.

" _Yes, this is Dr. Kaitlyn Fielding…"_  She paused.  _"Yes. I'm calling to see if I can upgrade my reservation. Yes, I know it's short notice. No, cost is not a problem."_ Another pause. " _Really? Ok then, presidential suite it is. Thank you very much. I'll see you this evening."_

Katie grabbed her duffle with her change of clothes and made a quick trip to the bathroom. Penny looked at Leonard. "Presidential suite, eh? I can't wait to hear how this will go."

Leonard gave a soft laugh. "I'm surprised that he's just up and doing something like this. It's almost spontaneous."

"Anything in the name of physics, Leonard." Sheldon had snuck by him, grabbing his laptop. Katie came out the bathroom in a pair of jeans, a pair of Converse, a gray "Don't Blink" tee on it.

"You ready?" she asked, looking to Sheldon, as she searched for her keys, finally finding them under a cushion on the couch. Sheldon nodded, following her out the door.

"Our baby is growing up!" Penny said in a mocking tone as the door shut behind them.

* * *

Surprisingly, they had been able to leave on time, despite Sheldon going over her trip schedule like crazy. He had even insisted on leaving an extra bowl of food out for her cats. She was also forced into checking everything from fluid levels to tire air to making sure her Camaro was vacuumed out before he agreed to get in. There had to be enough room in the back for their clothing to hang-he had two suits so he would appear nice if he ended up meeting someone of importance at the conference; she had a nice suit set for her lecture, as well as a nice dress for the dinner she was required to go to for lecturers.

Five hours into the drive and they had found a nice rotation between listening to her music-which he claimed he could not stand but bobbed his head to anyways-and to allow him to educate her on the field of physics. She found his droning surprisingly pleasant and couldn't help but to smile when he got excited about something he was educating her about. Eventually though, this rotation was enough to even bore her.

She fiddled with the air conditioning, and glanced at Sheldon. He had the remnant of a grin on his face from his recounting to her the basics of string theory just moments earlier. "Sheldon, would you like to play a game?"

"I dare say 'I Sp'y would be a dangerous game with you behind the wheel," he stated with a gaspy laugh.

"No, not 'I spy'. Have you ever played Never-Have-I-Ever?"

"I cannot say that I have. Is that not typically game involved with drinking?" He seemed speculative.

"Yes, but it can be a game we can use to get to know each other. No drinking necessary."  _And thank god for that._

"What are the rules?" Katie grinned at this.  _This could be terribly amusing or it could go so badly._

"You start with the statement 'Never have I ever...' and you say something that you've never done. If it's something that I have done, then you earn a point, but if I haven't done it at all, a point goes in my favor. The first to get to, let's say, 25 points will be the loser, the person with the fewest points wins. Understand?"

"Yes. I'll start." He seemed excited by the prospect of a new game. "Never have I ever...gone to outer space."

"Nope!" Katie gave him a grin. "You might want to be a little more down to earth. Never have I ever had two PhDs."

"Hmmph. That's a pity. I have two." It dawned on him. "Heeeeey."

"That's two points in my favor, smarty man." Katie giggled. "Your turn.

"Drat. Never have I ever driven a Camaro." He grinned.

"You're catching on. Never have I ever ridden a train." Sheldon gasped.

"Never have I ever owned my own place."

"Three to two in my favor. Never have I ever..."

They continued on like that for another twenty minutes or so. The score was twenty-two to seventeen in Sheldon's favor. Curiosity was starting to get the better of him.

"Never have I ever kissed a man."

"Well durh. I think you know whether or not I've kissed a man. Another point against me. Let's see..." She considered her next move. Sheldon interrupted.

"Wouldn't the obvious opposite to my last be that you have never kissed a woman?"

"That would be obvious. But I've done that. I was in college once. Let's see... never have I ever watched Anime porn."

Sheldon made a disgusted noise, "It wasn't on purpose, Leonard tricked me."

"Uh huh. And did you stop watching it?" A shallow "no" was heard from the passenger seat.

'Fine then. Never have I ever had fantasies about the Doctor that involved coitus."

"Depends, which doctor? Do you mean like a medical doctor, someone with a PhD, or someone like, say, David Tennant? And coitus? Really?"

"Based on the amount of Doctor Who memorabilia you had in your flat, that's the kind of doctor I meant." He glanced at her while she drove. "Why, have you had fantasies about another doctor?"

Katie swallowed. "David Tennant all the way."  _Well, it's not like that ISN'T true..._

"You didn't answer my question." Sheldon noted, suppressing a grin.

"And I don't intend to," she retorted, her cheeks a little flushed. "Another point against me. Never have I ever..." she glanced over at Sheldon, and then back at the road.  
"stripped naked and danced around my hot tub while humming Star Trek tunes."  _Easy point._

Sheldon scoffed at that, "Drat. That's cheating. But I do believe I'm still winning."

"That's only if you get one more point," she challenged.

"Never have I ever had an extreme emotional attachment to a man that was not family."

That seemed like a weak ending to their game, and also kind of a low blow. Katie stole a glance at Sheldon, his face seemed blank. "You win, Sheldon."

"I assumed I would." He said as he stared out the window. "You were, after all engaged. I can only assume under that social pretext that you had the emotion known as 'love' for this man. Am I correct?"

"Yes. I loved him, up until he cheated on me." Sheldon didn't seem as triumphant as she thought he would have been for having pulled such a card out to win the game.

"How did you know that you loved him?"

"Uh, I don't know honestly. Everything felt better with him in it. My problems seemed to melt away when he was near. He was my rock, my home. I felt like I could be anyone or do anything because of him. I even loved him when he got angry, or violent, because I knew, or had thought, that he was a better person than that." Her face had become sullen. "Why do you want to know this, Sheldon?"

"I'm curious. I've never known what such an intense emotion as love has felt like. I guess you could say that I love my mother, my meemaw, my friends. But I've never allowed myself to be in the type of situation that would allow for such emotions. I think most people believe I am incapable of having them." He fidgeted with the fabric on the arm rest. "After he cheated on you, how did you feel then?"

"Like I had lost everything. There were months when I didn't know what to do with myself, until finally I stopped letting myself care so much about him and what he had done. Once I did that, and decided that nothing was going to stop me having my own clinic, I finally got to a point where I started to feel better." She sighed. Sheldon just listened. "After I met with the right people, I moved to LA and into the building my dad had owned. I opened my clinic. Now, my clinic is growing faster than I would have imagined. I might end up expanding to a new location."

"So, even though your experience was, at the very least, dismal, it's made you into someone better?" She nodded, keeping her eyes on the road. "Fascinating."

Sheldon pondered a moment. "So, last night..."

"Last night was unexpected, and it brought all of those memories flooding back into my mind. I'm sorry you had to see that. And that you had to see how he was." She patted Sheldon's hand as he fidgeted with the arm rest before he could withdraw it from her.

"Kaitlyn?"

"Yes?"

"Why did you let me come with you?" He looked up at her as she glanced in his direction.

"Because even though it's, well, it's you we're talking about here, I liked the idea of not being alone."

At that, Sheldon turned his head to the window. And he smiled.


	9. The Preconference Relaxation

They pulled up in front of the hotel a good hour before they were supposed to. Katie was pleased how quickly they had gotten there, even though it was her lead foot that had reduced their eight hour trip to seven. As she pulled into the long drive, her breath caught in her chest. The sight she was met with was astounding, the hotel was absolutely beautiful. Suddenly she found herself wishing she had come here during the summer, eyeing the pool that was covered over as she drove by. Finally seeing the valet, she slowed the car to a stop, nudging Sheldon awake as she did. Her stomach gave a slight grumble.

"Up you get, we're here." Sheldon woke with a start as the valet began opening the door for him. She indicated to the bell hop what items in the car were to be taken in with them and started up the stairs towards the hotel entrance. A fairly groggy Sheldon followed her. "Have a nice nap?" He mumbled something inaudible.

She was still trying to shake the soreness of sitting in one position for hours as they walked through the hotel doors.  _Oh my!_ It was so…elegant. She wasn't one to treat herself to many things, but now she was glad that she had reserved a suite here. And she would get to stay until Monday morning, oh this was amazing.

A scrawny brown-haired clerk looked up at her as she approached the welcoming desk. He offered Katie a smile, "How may I help you today?"

She took out the necessary paperwork. "Reservation for Fielding," she noted as she handed over her paperwork, ID, and her card for payment. At the mention of her last name, the clerk straightened up, suddenly looking nervous. Sheldon suddenly looked a little flustered.

"Ah, yes, Dr. Fielding. Your suite is ready for you," he mumbled quietly, handing her ID and card back to her, as well as her room keys and hotel brochure. "All amenities are complementary." He motioned to the bellhop as Katie turned to an anxious Sheldon to hand him his room card.

Looking at his expression, she stopped short. "Is there something wrong, Sheldon?"

He looked a little awestruck. "I had assumed this was complimentary by way of the University." He fidgeted with his jacket.

"They had offered me a complementary room downtown, but as I rarely get to do very many nice things for myself and since, originally, I was going to be doing this trip by myself, I figured it would be a good idea to stay somewhere that I wouldn't normally have chosen." She handed him his room card and they headed towards the elevator.

"But the cost…" he mumbled as the elevator made its way up to their floor.

"The cost is nothing to worry about, Sheldon. Relax." A light ding indicated they had reached their floor. She stepped out of the elevator before he did. "It's actually a pleasing concept to treat a man to something nice, instead of the other way around." She smiled.

A few steps down the hallway brought them to a door with a placard marked "Presidential Suite." Katie grabbed her card out of her pocket. "If it's an issue, I'm sure you'll find some means of paying me back at a later date." She inserted her card and swept open the door and they both gasped.

The suite was more than she had assumed it would be. It was damn near an apartment, with a large living area, a small kitchenette, two bedrooms, and a rather roomy bathroom adjoining them. Katie was almost running from room to room, completely ignoring Sheldon as he hunted for an appropriate seat in the living area. The living area sported two large couches, with a glass table between them supporting a rather large arrangement of flowers. A great television sat across from the couches, and desk was conveniently placed behind them. The kitchenette had basic features—a microwave, coffee maker, sink, and well-stocked fridge—as well as some unconventional ones which included an electric kettle. Both bedrooms sported king-sized beds with duvet covers, elegant designs throughout and each had a medium-sized television. The bathroom had a double-headed shower that was surrounded by glass, not unlike the one she had in her loft. Half of the room was taken up by a giant Jacuzzi tub, which excited her by the prospect of taking a nice relaxing bath when she got the chance. She grabbed her bags from where the bellhop had left them near the door and placed them in the room neared the balcony. After placing her bags on the dresser, she flopped on the bed, sinking into the comfort it provided.

* * *

The suite was definitely not what he had expected, but then again, none of what he had seen since they had gotten there had been what he had expected. He was still bothered by the notion that Katie had paid for all of this from her own pocket, and didn't seem willing to budge on what he could pay for himself.  _Confound that woman!_

He spent the better part of twenty minutes analyzing what seating would be best to serve as his temporary  _spot_. "Aw, finally," he murmured to himself as he situated himself in the middle of one of the couches. A low grumble emanated from his stomach, making him look at his watch to see what the time was.  _Ah, 6:40pm. Please tell me we can eat soon._ He, too, went to grab his bags after Katie had ran out and gotten them, placing them in the other room. Sheldon took a quick glance around the apartment, and then a reminding gurgle from his stomach sent him hunting for Katie.

She was sprawled on her bed, giggling, when he found her. "What might you like to do for dinner?" he asked of her, leaning on the doorway that separated the bathroom from her room. She seemed slightly startled.

Katie sat up on the bed, "Would you be against room service? I honestly can't say I'm in the mood to go to a restaurant. I'm so sore from the trip." She left the bed to hunt around for a menu, finding it in the living area.

"Can you vouch for the quality of food in this establishment?" Sheldon was speculative.

"It's a five-star hotel, Sheldon honey. Find something you would like for dinner," she said, handing the menu to him, "or I'll order you something myself." He scowled at that.

The menu had a wide array of choices, and fifteen minutes later, he still hadn't figure out what he wanted. Katie stole the menu from him, much to his protest, and grabbed the phone.

"Yes? Room service please?" She paused, as Sheldon tried to take the menu from her before she placed an order. She held it out of his reach, which meant placing it behind her back. The position would have forced Sheldon to get uncomfortable close to her to reach it. "Yes, I would like to place an order. You wouldn't have any suggestions would you?" She waited. "Yes, send one of each please, and throw something in there for dessert. Presidential Suite, thank you."  _You're kidding me._ She placed the phone back in its cradle.

"I am perfectly capable of picking out my own meal thank you very much." Sheldon said with a slight air of annoyance.

"It seemed you were having as much trouble as I was picking something out. So now we have a choice, or rather a multitude of choices. It might be an overabundance of food, but…" she shrugged, "we might as well make this trip fun right? Food will be here within thirty minutes."  _Drat._

She plopped on the couch, next to Sheldon's new spot, and turned on the tv, switching it to the Lord of the Rings marathon. It was in the middle of The Two Towers, with a reluctant Gimli fussing about being too short to see over the wall. Sheldon grinned, it was the extended edition. He happily sat down, forgetting slightly that Katie was forcing him to be spontaneous.

Sure enough, thirty minutes later there was a knock on the door, to which Katie answered. Two men brought in carts of food—ranging from steak to pasta, from fruit to sautéed delights. There was even cheesecake, an assortment of chocolates, and some champagne set to the side with a thank you note from the chef. Katie sent the men on their way with a generous tip, beaming at the food placed before her.

Sheldon was already behind her, gawking at the display of food. How was he going to choose?

"Try one of each, if you're willing." She said to him, turning and handing him a plate. "Have some fun." He was hesitant, but did as she asked.

They sat across from each other at a table next to the kitchen area. She gleamed at him over her plate as he studiously tried to figure out a plan to consume his meal. The Two Towers was reaching its end in the background.

"Where are you from originally?" Katie asked as she picked up a section of duck with her fork and examined it.

"Galveston, Texas." He finally settled on a sautéed assortment of carrots, squash, and beets. He looked up at her, "You?" Her eyes were especially bright tonight, but maybe it was just the lighting. He felt oddly comfortable here with her.

"Conway, Arkansas. It's just north of Little Rock. We moved to Colorado when I was 6. Family?"

"I have a brother, George, and a twin sister, Missy, both who loved giving me hell as a kid. My mom still lives in Texas, and she's a hardcore Christian. My father died years ago." He again looked to her, noticing a pattern in their conversation. It was a give some, take some kind of conversation. So, again, he asked, "You?"

"I'm an only child. My mother died during child birth so I grew up with my dad for the most part. He passed away a few years ago. He's the main reason I was able to open my own clinic, he helped set up the funds I needed." She chewed on a piece of shrimp.

"I would ask what music you enjoy, but I think our car ride gave me that answer already. You had an interesting mix of all kinds of music, except for country. Twanginess too much for you?" He asked, matter-of-factly.  _This exchange is actually quite interesting._

She gave a fake shudder. "Can't stand it. My father loved it. " She mused for a new question.

"I've never had a great acceptance of modern day music, but if I had to choose, it would be classical." To that Katie rolled her eyes.

"I can't say that I'm surprised about that. I am, however, surprised that you decided to take a trip…" she visibly counted on her fingers, "…three entire days with someone you hardly know."

He shrugged, avoiding her eyes. "It's like what you said in the car, I prefer to be here with you than be alone for three days straight. That and there's the chance to prove people wrong at the physics lecture. I can cause trouble." He got a big grin at that.

* * *

Eventually they finished their meal, making a decent dent in the large array that Katie had ordered. She boxed up some of what hadn't been touched and placed it in the fridge, and then called the front desk to have someone get the plates. Sheldon helped as she cleaned up their mess.

She turned to him when they were done. "You can as you want for the rest of the night, honey. I'm going to be taking a bath and then watching some television before bed. I've got an early day in the morning."

Before she had left the room, he stopped her. "When is your lecture?"

Surprised, she responded. "Uh, my lecture is at 2pm tomorrow. And then I'll have a lecturer's dinner at 6. I have a small thing to attend on Saturday, but other than that, this weekend is a breeze for me."

"Consider me there."  _Well aren't you a gentlemen?_

"Thanks," she said in a small voice, as she turned to leave the room. She noted he had taken out his laptop to play some game before she left.

The tub was better than she had imagined. There was an amazing array of bath salts and bubble mixtures where she eventually knew she was having too much fun. The warmth of the water seeped into her skin, making her feel at ease. Every ache in her body ceased to exist as each rush of water massaged her limbs. She had her cheap copy of A Dance with Dragons with her in the tub. Time flew as she got through four chapters before finally deciding that that had been enough relaxation for the night.

Her body was still warm as she dried herself off. She imagined that she could lightly see the steam coming off her body. She slipped into one of the robes the hotel provided and made her way to her room. Once she got to her dresser, she slipped the robe and looked for some boxers and a tank that she could wear for the night.

It was 10:15 by the time she had crawled into bed and flipped the tv on. Return of the King was on now, but as it was nearing its end, she flipped channels until she found the comedy channel. She didn't realize she had fallen asleep until she stirred from a light knocking at the door.

* * *

He had been able to spend some time working on his level 42 tauren retribution paladin after they had finished dinner. It seemed it had suddenly become late without him knowing, he had been having such a nice time. He didn't know he could be this comfortable around a girl. It was almost like being around Leonard, but in female form, and in an attractive form at that. That was how comfortable he was around her.

Finally it was about 10 when he got ready for bed. There was a vanity and sink in his room, which was a convenience considering he knew Katie had been in the tub.  _In the tub naked._ He envisioned that wet skin, water dripping down her shoulder with the phoenix tattoo. He shook his head, trying to void his mind of the memory. What was wrong with him?

He went about his pre-bed routine—meticulously brushing and flossing his teeth, washing his face, gargling with mouthwash twice. When he finally found himself in bed, he was too restless to find sleep. Periodically he checked the time. 10:27. 10:36. 10:51.

 _It's too quiet. I don't feel right._ He was on the verge of a panic attack. 10:56. He got up and walked over to Katie's door. He raised his hand to knock at least three times without actually knocking. Finally on the fourth, he had the courage to complete it.

* * *

* _Knock Knock Knock_ * "Katie?"

She stirred slightly. A faint moan escaped her lips.

* _Knock Knock Knock_ * "Katie?"

Her eyes fell on the clock next to her bed.  _11:00pm. Ugh._

* _Knock Knock Knock_ * "Katie?"

She slowly climbed out of the bed and stumbled to the door, opening it just slightly.

"Yes, Sheldon?" She mumbled the question out in her delirium.

"I can't sleep." He fidgeted.

Katie sighed, scratching at a spot behind her ear. "What do you want me to do about it, Sheldon?" Her words were still mumbled.

"Can I…" he paused, seeming to be having to be having a difficult time getting whatever it was out. "Can I sleep with you? It's too quiet and I'm actually afraid of being so lonely for once." He rushed the words out.

She blinked at him, not completely awake. "Uh, sure," opening the door to let him in. "But no funny business."

He gave her a gaspy laugh at that. "Right. Me. Funny business."

She was already crawling back into bed by the time he had finished his cheery retort and was soon fast asleep. Sheldon crawled into the sheets on the opposite side, facing her as he did so, watching her in the dim light as she drifted off into dreamland. She was in a serene place, absolutely beautiful as a strand of hair draped across her face. He didn't know how he had actually gotten himself to be back with her in bed, but he had and of his own volition. It was comforting since he knew that this time, there was no sexual connotation. He fell asleep with his eyes on her face, wondering what else could happen with her around.


	10. The Dream

_His hand brushed a strand of hair from her face. The feel of his fingers gracing her skin was almost electrifying. Her heart fluttered as he grasped the small point of her chin, raising her face to inspect her features. As his bright blue eyes raked over every inch of her face, she could almost feel the burning embers behind them. Leaning in, he lightly brushed his lips against hers, sending chills down her spine. He stopped to look at her once more, and gave her a smile that warmed her heart before he placed a deeper kiss upon her lips. She wound her fingers through his hair, angling her face to deepen the kiss, lightly teasing his lips with the tip of her tongue._

_*beep beep beep*_

_They were in an embrace that made it seem as if nothing else in the world existed save for them, right then and there in that moment. He broke their kiss and began to leave a trail of small, excruciating kisses along the side of her neck, given her the sensation that her knees were going to fall from under her. She murmured his name, in what was almost a purr._

_*beep beep beep*_

_She felt a hand on the small of her back, slowly moving its fingers along the line of her spine, sending shivers through her body. His lips had moved to the curve of her collarbone, each kiss leaving a tingling sensation. She whispered his name again, but his hand moved away from her back. She wanted to grasp it and return to where it had been brushing against her skin, but she couldn't find it. She could no longer feel his kisses upon her; confused, she opened her eyes to find him…_

At that moment she regained consciousness, feeling the heat emanating throughout her body from the dream. The incredulous beeping had stopped and a warmth had found its way to her back, giving way to a calm silence. Katie found her head cradled on a firm yet soft pillow, her arms and legs entangled in a comfortable mess. She enjoyed the peacefulness of her reverie, still swimming in the happiness from her dream, and then her mind began to tick, causing her to open her eyes. A quick glance found her facing a flannel V where the buttons of Sheldon's pajama top met at his neck. Her pillow was not a pillow at all, but bicept covered in soft flannel. She could feel a leg between her legs, and prior experience informed her that her outer leg was draped over his. The warmth at her back could only mean that he was holding her.  _Holding me? This, from a man who, unless he's been drinking, doesn't seem to want to touch anyone without a bottle of Purell._ She wondered if she could pinch herself, to wake herself from what seemed to be another dream, but found her arms wrapped around his torso. She was holding him, too.

Katie tried to move a little, and felt Sheldon move with her. The arm at her back moved to her shoulder, pushing her back just slightly, partially breaking the embrace they were sharing. She could look up to his face now, and as she did, she was met with those startling blue eyes. He was awake, and still willingly touching her.

"Good Morning," he said feebly. She could feel the embrace stiffening. He was beginning to get nervous, but still wasn't in a rush to break the contact.

"Morning," she gave him a small smile. He was holding her and it made her feel slightly giddy.

"You were mumbling in your sleep," he commented giving her a look she couldn't read. "You said my name."

She felt her cheeks become warm at her embarrassment.  _She had been saying his name. Those had been his eyes that burned such a heat into her body._  She broke the contact between them, now feeling awkward, knowing he had been awake and observing her while she slept. Normally a man watching her sleep wouldn't have been something to bother her, but he had heard her saying his name in a dream that had had the potential to start fires.

"Sorry," Katie mumbled quickly, looking over Sheldon's shoulder at the time on the clock beside them on the table. She needed to start getting ready. She looked everywhere but directly at Sheldon as she got out of bed and went to the bathroom. She peaked at him as she closed the door, and she could swear she could see a smirk on his face.

* * *

Sheldon glanced over his shoulder. It was 6:21. Another nine minutes and the alarm would go off. He had just woken, and had found his body entangled with that of Katie's. She was snuggled into his arms, her arms draped around him, a leg draped over his. Sheldon's first instinct had been to ease himself out of the bed and run into his room, but he resisted, as he also felt a serenity about this contact they were sharing.  _This isn't as bad as I thought it would be._ His opinion that human contact was primarily one for germs or copulation was beginning to fade.

He wished he could glimpse her face, but her head was cradled on his arm. All he could see without moving his head—which he was afraid would wake her—was her forehead and a mass of auburn hair that spilled out onto the pillow beside her. There was a lone strand of hair in the middle of her forehead. Without thinking about it, he brushed it from her brow. Her hot breaths tickled his neck as the air escaped from her lips.

*beep beep beep*

The alarm clock was beginnings its monotone assault on his ear. She cuddled closer to him, and murmured something that was inaudible. He brought his had around to her back, ignoring the alarm, not wanting to rouse her just yet. This moment was still peaceful. He absently traced the line of her spine through her tank.

*beep beep beep*

He wanted to throw the alarm clock across the room for ruining his peacefulness. He slightly turned to reach the clock behind him, fumbling with the buttons to turn it off.  _Finally, some quiet,_ he thought as silence pervaded the room again. He placed his arm around her again, repeating his tracing, wanting to hold her until she woke herself. The silence broke when a breathy, but barely audible "Sheldon" escaped from her lips. He froze, then relaxed, her still steady breathing indicating she had not roused yet.  _She's asleep….and she just said my name._

A moment later, she moved and her breathing changed, pulling him with her as she tried to turn. He moved his hand from her back to her shoulder, to position them in a better spot. He could see her face, her blinking told him she was now awake, and his breathe caught when she looked up at him with round, green eyes. Seeing her in the first few moments of the day felt like a privilege that was only his, even though he knew by social convention that was something he should only feel if they were together.

He let out a small "Good Morning," immediately wishing he hadn't. He was all nerves now and was constantly fighting the urge to bolt from the room.

"Morning," she replied, giving him a small smile.  _Oh lord, that smile._

"You were mumbling in your sleep," he commented, looking at her. "You said my name." Her eyes went wide, and her cheeks turned pink.  _Is that…embarrassment?_

She immediately let go of him, mumbling an apology.  _It must be._ Her actions left him wondering what her dream had been about to cause her to be so embarrassment. It hit him. Was it possible she was having one of  _those_  dreams? He instantly wanted to know what his part in the dream was. She was making her way to the bathroom, and he was rooted to the spot, grinning from ear to ear.

The sound of the shower roused him from his reverie. He glanced at the clock, and then went to call up breakfast. Sheldon suddenly felt an unexplainable urge to make Katie feel happy, and most of all, he wanted to impress her. This was not normal for him, but so far everything with her had been far from normal.

* * *

The shower certainly calmed her embarrassment as the rhythmic fall of water hit her back.  _Ok so I'm attracted to him, and he knows it. He's not drunk this go around. Now what?_  She rinsed the conditioner she had brought with her from her hair. This whole situation had her feeling like a school girl with a crush, passing the neighborhood hottie on her way to school. She shut the water off and reach out to find her towel. Patting herself dry, she opened the curtain to find herself grinning in the mirror.  _Oh stop it._

She opened the door partly and peeked through. Sheldon was no longer in her room, so she stepped in and closed it. "Shower's yours," she shouted, ruffling the towel through her hair to get to a point where she could dry it. The running of water let her know he had heard her.

Forty minutes later she finally had her hair fixed and her make-up done. She was glad for the vanity, because she didn't know if she would've been able to control herself if she had had to do her routine with him naked behind a curtain just feet away from her. The thought brought images from their first encounter to mind. Katie couldn't help but grin as she dressed herself. She checked herself out in the mirror, wishing she wore this more. The black pencil skirt hugged her figure meeting a red belt placed neatly over a teal v-neck blouse. She eyed her Converse wistfully as she pulled the red pumps over her hosiery. She grabbed her black suit jacket and walked out to the dining area.

Sheldon was already sitting down, having finished his shower quickly. His eyes were transfixed on a book—obviously fantasy—he had propped before him, which looked oddly out of place with the tan suit he wore. A breath caught in her throat as she looked at him, being unable to stop herself from thinking how amazing he looked.  _He can look like a real grown up if he wants to._ The click of her heels must have gotten his attention, because he was suddenly eyeing her as she walked over to join him. She saw him open and close his mouth, as if he were going to say something, but he stayed quiet. She poured herself some orange juice.

"Thank you for getting breakfast," she said, eyeing the eggs and bacon in front of here. There were grits as well, and an assortment of banana, grape, strawberry, and cantaloupe to the side. There was a mug of coffee too, with cream and Splenda waiting beside it.  _Someone pays attention._

Sheldon put his book aside. "It's the very least I can do, after you let me tag along. And after all of this." He motioned to the suite. "You look nice this morning."

Katie beamed at the compliment. "You don't look too bad yourself, honey. Nice suit."

He looked down and shrugged. "Thank you. I don't believe it warrants a compliment. It's not plaid." He sounded putout. "Penny took me shopping for a suit once, and every now and then insists that I get another. This is one of  _those_."  _Remind me to give Penny my thanks._ "But, in any case, I thought that since I have two PhDs, it would be best if I looked like I did."

"Plaid or not, you look amazing in it. What's your plan for today?"

"I'll try to find as many physics lectures as I can where I can refute their theories." He sounded thoroughly excited.

"Don't get yourself kicked out, ok? Will you be able to make it to the lecturers' dinner tonight?" She asked, hoping she wouldn't be going alone. He nodded to another suit that was draped over the back of one of the couches, indicating he had every intention of going.

"I noted that on the conference schedule I printed out before we even left L.A." He showed her a small stack of papers he had nearby.

Katie checked her phone.  _7:40am_. She called the desk to make sure their driver was ready. Grabbing one last bite from her plate, she cleaned up and grabbed her things. She was glad the university had a display for her already, where she would be talking to students and other professionals prior to her lecture. She grabbed a laundry bag on a hanger that encased a dress for that evening. They would have to change at the college and then go right to the banquet. Katie couldn't help but to be excited. This would almost be like a date.


	11. The Slow Dance

It had taken Katie a good thirty minutes to find the building she was supposed to be in. She had gotten overwhelmed by the size of the campus, having made the mistake to forgo the trolley. Sheldon had had to guide her by phone from the physics buildings, as he had memorized the campus map, and eventually he got her to where she needed to be. She was flustered that getting lost had made her get behind, but as soon as she entered the building, she quickly realized that she wasn't the only one to be behind. It was a college campus, after all. Whoever was awake at 8:30am on a Friday was either in class, someone who worked there, or insane.

She sat at her booth, waiting for students to come by. A professor offered her some coffee.  _Score!_  She sipped it as she meandered through the booths, curious as to what else was there. The booths ranged from robotics, to new artificial limbs, to other such things. It was truly, as Sheldon probably would put it, fascinating. As soon as 9am came around, students started filling the gymnasium, and she had to make it back to her booth.

Before she knew it, it was 11:30 already. She had been displaying a new ultrasound system for muscle rehabilitation, as well as new massages therapists could use to reduce soreness in certain areas of the body. Many students had come by asking her what she thought of her field, if they should go into it, and so forth. Students were beginning to refer to her as Dr. K, and she didn't know how she felt about that. There were even some bold men—well, not men, by her standards they were boys—that tried to give her their numbers to which she did the whole I-am-flattered-honey-but-I'm-with-someone routine, even if it wasn't completely true. After one such instance, Sheldon appeared out of nowhere carrying two Styrofoam containers, two diet cokes, and a little bag that she couldn't make out the contents of.

He had brought her lunch, which amused her to no end. Sheldon plopped down in the folding chair beside her, handing her some Purell. "You would not believe how much fun I've been having. There are two other gymnasiums like this filled to the brim with booths. And that's just for today. They rotate out tomorrow!" He was beaming with happiness.

Katie munched on a fry. "Refute anyone's hypothesis yet?"

"Twice!" That made Katie shake her head. She set her powerpoint to loop for anyone that came by while they were eating.

She watched Sheldon while he ate. He had taken his blazer off and had rolled back his sleeves. Somehow, he had managed to get him a nametag like hers, except his said:

 _Convention of Applied Sciences: Sheldon_   _L._   _Cooper_ , _B.S., M.S., M.A., Ph.D., Sc.D._

_How he got that, I don't want to know._

"What does the 'L' stand for?" She asked, staring at his nametag.

"What 'L'?" He looked rather confused.

She pointed at his nametag. "Oh, Lee." He munched on his sandwich.

"How cute," she said. She got a mumbled reply of exasperation.

A familiar face snaked through the crowd as she finished up her own sandwich. "Kaitlyn?"

It was Silvia, a woman she had gone to college with back in Colorado. They exchanged a brief hug and minor civilities.

"Sheldon, this is Silvia. Silvia, Sheldon." Silvia eyed Sheldon.

"Are we still on for tomorrow afternoon?" Silvia asked.

A lecturer for Silvia's even had called in two weeks prior saying that they weren't going to be able to attend. Silvia had called on Katie to fill in. "Yes. Yes, we are."

"You can bring him along," Silvia added, rather suggestively. Sheldon looked back and forth between Katie and this new woman curiously.

Katie about died, "I don't know if he….would really be willing. We'll see. I'll see you tomorrow."

"What's tomorrow?" Sheldon asked as Silvia walked off.

Katie was hesitant, "It's a lecture, of sorts."  _How do I tell him without it being awkward?_

"Are you presenting findings for another physical therapy theory?"

"No. It's just another lecture, Sheldon." She took a look at her phone.  _12:45pm. Time to start breaking down this booth and head over to the auditorium._

* * *

The lecture went surprisingly well. Katie had been shocked at the turn out. It had been relatively easy speaking in front of so many people despite her nerves. Sheldon had been the first to arrive, sitting in the very front, with a notepad ready to take notes.  _He better not refute anything of mine, damnit._  To her shock, the only thing he had done over the two and a half hour lecture was just do that, take notes. She would have thought it would have bored him to no end, as it wasn't physics.

After the line of students, professors, and other attendees with questions, praise, and concerns had dwindled, it was about five pm. She and Sheldon went and got their change of clothes and each went to respective bathrooms in the student center to change. Katie touched up her make-up and fixed her hair into a quick bun. She changed into a green and black satin dress that clung to her torso, but flared at her hips. She wasn't the biggest fan of formal events, but when, on the occasion that she was required to attend one, she made sure she would stand out. She changed her red pumps from the day to a pair of daring green heels that matched her dress.

She stepped out of the bathroom, clutching her previous clothes in a bag to her side, and heard a brief gasp. Katie didn't realize it was her own. Sheldon was leaning on a bench just outside the bathroom, looking down at his cellphone, caught up in what seemed like a text. He was wearing a clean black suit, with a black button-up shirt, and a silver tie.  _Jeezus…._

She quietly approached him. "Who are you texting?" Sheldon jumped a little out of surprise.

"Oh, just Leonard. He was wanting…." He looked up, and swallowed. "…an update." His eyes seemed to jump a little bit.

"You look…." he started. "great."  _Just great?_

"Although, you could stand a bit more fabric over this area," he motioned to her chest, "and on your back. I say, Katie, are you trying to catch every man tonight?"

Katie blinked at him. "Did you just insinuate that I look  _slutty?_ "

"No, no. You're just…" he seemed to be at a lack for words. "…attractive. Come on, we'll be late at this rate."

* * *

Sheldon was ready to leave as soon as he realized that the people they were seated with were absolute idiots. He resisted however, not that he really had a choice. The meal had lasted for about an hour, and another hour had been spent of pleasantries and speeches. Now, everyone was socializing and dancing, and Sheldon was completely out of his element.  _If only we had been seated with another physicist. I could've amused myself by proving how wrong they were._

Katie had busied herself with conversational talk with people that were important in her field. It wasn't incredibly pleasing to her either, given the forced expression that was on her face each time she introduced herself to someone new. She looked like she wanted to escape. Sheldon watched and sipped his virgin Cuba Libre as he periodically nodded and ignored the lady droning beside him.

Eventually enough was enough. A peppy tune began to be played by the band and Sheldon got up from his seat. He strode over to Katie, and waited for her conversation to end with whoever busybody she was talking to and he stole her hand before anyone else could begin to bore her with unnecessary banter. Katie looked surprised and relieved when she realized he had taken her hand and was leading her to the area where people were dancing.

"Sheldon, I thought you didn't dance." She was referring to his reaction the other night in the club, apparently. The tune switched to a waltz.

"I suffered through cotillion as a teenager, I can dance. Just not  _that_  kind of dance." He bowed to her. She curtsied awkwardly to him, looking unsure as he took her hand and placed it on his shoulder, grasping her other with his fingers. She visibly jumped when he placed his other hand on her waist. "This, I can do." He said with a smile as he gracefully began to waltz.

* * *

"Yes, Mr. Oppenhiemer, I believe that this new machine will be the opening needed to revolutionize the therapy process." Kaitlyn rattled off what she had been repeating all evening.  _This banquet kind of blows._ She had only been able to really spend an hour with Sheldon as they ate, and even that had been tarnished by the middle-aged woman beside Sheldon trying to lure him with her wilds. She nodded as Mr. Oppenhiemer gave her his thanks for her lecture. To please call him if she ever needs anything. That would have been fine, if he hadn't been ogling her chest while making that offer. Katie rolled her eyes, and sipped her champagne, and was about to wait for the next torturous conversation before she realized her hand had been taken and she was being led away. Realizing it was Sheldon, she gave nearest waiter the champagne flute that she had been holding.  _Oh thank god._

She assumed that they were just leaving, but instead Sheldon was leading her to where other couples were dancing. Her heart thudded. She hadn't danced like that since she took that two-semester activity course in college. Katie looked for a way out.

"Sheldon, I thought you didn't dance." The other night he had squealed and ran off.  _What's he playing at?_ The music transitioned in a slow, graceful waltz.  _Oh shiiiiiit._

He glanced at her, seeing through her scheme. "I suffered through cotillion as a teenager; I can dance. Just not  _that_  kind of dance." He bowed to her.  _Oh god, that's kind of hot._ She felt flustered as she attempted to curtsy.

Suddenly, her hand was in his as he placed it on his shoulder. Her free hand was grasped by his and he placed the other on her hip.  _I'm going to fall as soon as he starts moving._  "This, I can do," he said, giving her a confident smile that started to melt her sanity.

He moved, and she moved with him, shocked at how much she remembered. She didn't fall, but moved as if she was stepping from cloud to cloud. His confidence fueling her as they attempted different turns and spins. She couldn't shake the warm feeling it gave her. It was the first time anyone had made her feel like such a lady.  _Now this is better._

They stayed on the floor as the music changed it slowed, and suddenly Sheldon looked nervous. "I don't know how to do this one."

"It's a slow dance, honey." She inched closer, looking up at him as they swayed from side to side.

Instead of the expected "Oh" she thought would come from him, he swung the hand that had been on her hip to the small of her back, bringing her even closer to him. She suddenly felt flushed, and hoped it didn't show on her face. Their connection felt intimate, and Sheldon didn't seem to be worrying about anything. A small smile played on his face, his blue eyes seemed to almost twinkle. Rather, they seemed to be burning blue embers. The thought reminded her of her dream, making her breath catch. In that moment she wanted to be his, but didn't feel like it was something she could bring up without scaring him away. Katie moved to place her head on his shoulder, feeling more comfortable here with him that she had with anyone else before.

* * *

The trip back to the hotel was a silent one. He had never slow-danced with anyone before, and the sensation he had gotten when he had danced Katie was something he had not wanted to end. It was similar to how he had felt when she had been in his arms that morning. He felt secure and worry free, and for once he didn't worry about equations, or string theory, or the overabundance of germs in crowded places. All he was focused on was her.

He felt a sting of pity when he realized that this was the kind of connection that Amy had wanted from him, an emotional tie between human to human and he had been unable to do that for her. His relationship with Amy had been different from whatever this happened to be. Sheldon stole a glance at Katie, only to meet her eyes with his. She immediately turned away, cheeks pink.

When they reached the suite, Katie thanked him for coming with her to the banquet. She wished him goodnight, and began to walk towards her room. Sheldon stood there for a moment, undoing his tie, pondering what to do. He followed her, quickly catching her hand, and turning her back to him. She looked at him expectantly.

He drew her into a slow dance, there in the bedroom, to which she smiled, commenting on the lack of music. She laid her head on his shoulder again, and Sheldon began to have that content feeling again. They danced for a moment and Sheldon looked down to find her green eyes surveying. He suddenly felt confidence, and on instinct lowered his head to hers. Their lips met, and his body seemed to be electrified.  _This is exquisite._ Her lips parted when they met his, moving with as much intensity as his moved. He tried to deepen the kiss, but couldn't from his height.

A hand pressed on his chest, pushing him towards the bed. At that he paused, suddenly nervous. "We only do what you want. No need for sex." Katie reassured him. "Although, even if we just make out, I'm not doing it in this," she gestured towards her gown.

Sheldon nodded his approval. "We'll meet in ten." At that he rushed off to his bedroom, in which he still hadn't slept.

* * *

"We'll meet in ten."

As soon as Sheldon left the room, Katie slid out of dress and practically ran to the vanity. She washed her face quickly, let her down, and brushed her teeth. She quickly discarded the bra she was wearing, and traded it for a tank she could wear to bed, as well as a pair of boxers. Katie made a quick trip to the bathroom, and upon her return, Sheldon was already sitting on the edge of the bed, looking apprehensive pajama bottoms and white tee.  _That's a nice change from his flannel,_ she noted. The tee hugged his chest, defining where his muscles stood out.

"Relax, and lay down." Sheldon complied, and soon she was lying beside him. They lay facing each other for a moment, until Sheldon grew courageous again, pulling her close. He leaned over and planted a gentle kiss upon her lips. She brought a hand up and ran it through his hair, pulling his face into hers. She felt his hand trace the side of her jaw, and then cup her face as they each lost themselves in the sensuality of it. Katie felt his tongue experimentally flutter against her lips, to which she returned the favor. A gasp escaped from Sheldon's mouth, and suddenly he deepened the kiss, exploring her mouth as much as he could without grazing their teeth together. It was absolute passion, and she loved every bit of it.

Katie arched her back into him, pressing her breasts against him, to which he brought his hand around to her back and began lightly feathering his fingers across the open skin on her back. Katie flirted with the hem of his tee, reaching a hand to feel the muscles on his back pull taught and relax as they worked the magic that was their kiss. He took the hint, pausing to take the shirt off himself, allowing her a moment to admire his chest.  _He doesn't seem that muscular with all that clothing on._

He positioned himself above her, leaning on one arm, pausing their kiss to stare at her. The slightest bit of skin peaked out from under her tank and his fingers flirted with it, sending tingles throughout her body. Sheldon leaned to start another kiss, but decided better and moved to her neck, planting small pecks there. This change drove her into a new state of bliss.  _Where is he learning this? Sheldon Cooper is a natural. A natural sex god._ She groaned as his hand made its way under her tank and found its purchase on her breast and began to massage her in an expert fashion.  _He must be running on pure instinct. Well, that and those educational videos that Leonard seemed to keep around._

A small gasp escaped from his lips as he felt her peak harden against his palm. He flicked it lightly with his finger while he planted his lips upon Katie's collarbone. The sensation made her arch her back in pleasure, causing her to press her body against his. She could feel a pulsing indication that this was all turning him on. She placed a hand on his chest to catch his attention, he paused. Those bright blue eyes were burning with desire.

"Roll over." Sheldon looked slightly disappointed; until Katie pulled her boxers down to reveal her lacey panties.  _Isn't he lucky I wasn't wearing these like I normally would._ His eyes grew wide—both with anxiety and an obvious appreciation for what he was seeing. "No worries, we can still go slowly." Katie assured him as she climbed on top of him. She slipped her tank off as he watched her.

A hand rose to each breast, still exploring as she leaned over to kiss him again. They lost themselves to each other again, and she heard a groan as she placed her weight on the throbbing protrusion that was pressed firmly on the limits of his pajamas. Katie began to rock her hips, creating a friction between them that sent them both into a frenzy. He grasped to hold her close, deepening their kiss, thrusting his hips with hers. Within moments they reached their ecstasy together, Sheldon giving a throaty "Katie" to the air around them.

They lay there panting.  _That's the best non-sex I've ever had._ She began to feel drowsy, so she climbed under the covers.

"Just a moment" said a husky Sheldon as he quickly got up and ran to his room. A moment later she heard water in the kitchen, and within seconds he was back with her wearing a new pair of pajama bottoms. Without a thought he climbed in beside her, spooning her and planting a kiss on her neck.

She had begun to doze when she heard a soft, "You're amazing."


	12. Cheers & Applause

The sun peaked through the curtains, leaving streaks on her face. As she awoke, all she could see was a bright red nothing from the light that played on her eyelids. Katie gave off a groan, turning her head to so as to not be blinded when she opened her eyes. She was met with the vision of an empty room. There was a note where Sheldon had been the night before. It lay on top of a box on the bed.

[ _Katie,_

_I went ahead and left for campus early as there were quite a few booths and lectures I wanted to get to before the day's end. I hope I am not overstepping my bounds, but I have planned a casual outing for us tonight, so I hope your schedule is free. Hope your lecture goes well. See you this evening._

_Dr. Sheldon Cooper_

_P.S. The box is for you. I found this yesterday morning in a place in downtown Tucson. I hope it fits._ ]

Katie sat up on the bed, positioning herself so her legs were crossed. She sat looking at the box, trying to figure out when on earth Sheldon had had the time to go  _shopping_  and sneak this past her. Even more to the point, he had gone shopping for  _her_ , and this was before the situation last night. Katie looked at the note again.  _'…I have planned a casual outing for us tonight…" A date?_ Katie found herself jittery and excited.

She put the note down and turned to the box, pulling it towards her. Using her nail, she tore through the small bit of tape keeping the box closed, and then pryed the top off. Gently unfolding the tissue, she uncovered the item Sheldon meant for her. Lying on top of another layer of tissue was a black bustier corset. It was made of leather, with silver and gold piping and embroidery. She picked it up to inspect it, it was soft in her hands as she felt the embroidery. Small silver clasps lined the front of it, with the traditional ties along the back.  _Apparently Sheldon did pay attention when he was in my room back home._  Katie had begun collecting these when she got to college, having had an obsession with all things Celtic for a while. She only wore them when she felt especially bold. The corset in her hands outmatched any that she owned back home. She couldn't imagine what had brought Sheldon to have bought this before, but in any case she liked it. Katie put it down on the bed, glancing up at the clock to see she had a little over an hour before she had to get to the campus. She didn't  _have_  to be on campus until sometime that afternoon to meet Silvia, but there were some booths and lectures she wanted to check out.

Kaitlyn grabbed a quick shower and made sure to especially doll up for today. She didn't have to look professional— _thank god—_ for her "lecture" later that day, so she decided she could make use of Sheldon's gift.  _Today is going to be a bold day._  Matching it with a white blouse she had brought with her, she situated it so she had some cleavage showing, but not so much that a boob would pop out. Wearing the corset meant she could wear a bra, so she had to be especially careful with the twins. Glancing in the mirror, it reminded her almost of those steampunk outfits some women put together for role play or Halloween. She pulled on her favorite pair of faded and torn jeans, glad to find that they still fit as they were meant to be especially snug. After donning some socks, she pulled on her knee high boots that she had just thrown in her luggage just for kicks. She'd had them since college, but hardly ever had the chance to wear them. They were black leather boots that sported a three-inch heel and zipped up the side.

She dried her hair and took longer time than normal in fixing it so she could keep it down. It fell loosely in little waves of auburn around her shoulders, falling just short of her shoulder blade. She fixed a black hair band, loosing enough bangs to frame her face. Her last touch was adding gold diamond studs to her cartilage piercings and secondary lobe piercing, with gold hoops in her main piercings, and a long gold chain that settled a green stone at the crevice of the breasts. She had done her make-up prior to clothing herself, so she doubled checked it, spinning around before the mirror. She was worthy of being ogled today, and couldn't help but smile. Katie phoned the front desk to arrange for her driver, and grabbed her tan jacket.

* * *

He was sitting on a bench in front of one of the gymnasiums, having already attended two short lectures and explored a good number of booths.  _And it's only 10:30. So much to do today._  He had arranged a lunch with the physics department on campus, if only for his own amusement, so he wasn't going to be able to see Katie until the evening.

After the events of last night, Sheldon had been unable to sleep very much that night. He ended up waking early and calling a very shocked Penny. After ensuring her secrecy, he had asked for her expertise on what he was supposed to do if he liked a girl. She had thought it was a joke, but once he had explained how he thought he felt—which was a new sensation for him all together—and told her that he had kissed her, Penny began to be serious. She explained that normally it was acceptable to go somewhere to eat, and then go somewhere that would be fun. Penny sounded excited at the idea that he was initiating a date, without any kind of written agreement first—he honestly hadn't given an agreement thought. Penny had asked if he had brought some of the clothes she had gotten him and he detailed what he had brought with him. She told him to wear his faded jeans with a black button up shirt. Once he had gotten off the phone with her, he had gone down to the front desk of the hotel, asking them about restaurants in the area before leaving a note and the gift for Kaitlyn back in the room.

He had made a reservation for dinner at a place downtown. As for the fun for that evening, he had been stumped until he had arrived on campus. The professor that was the sponsor for a volunteer group on campus—they apparently brought meals, toys, and company to children with cancer at a local hospital—invited him to a charity event at a local club that evening. They were hosting a karaoke contest that would be between visiting professors and lecturers versus professors on campus. Sheldon assured him that he wouldn't be ideal for it, but he knew someone that did. The professor gave him a clipboard on which Sheldon wrote under the list of other professors: Dr. Kaitlyn Fielding.  _She might kill me,_ he thought, a little worried that he had made this decision for her, even though he knew she could sing, given her performance in the car when they had been on the way here.

Now he was consulting the lecture schedule, trying to plan the rest of his day. His mind kept wandering to the night before—the dancing, the way they had kissed, how they had touched. The tingling in his ears reminded him he needed to get his mind on something else so he wouldn't disgrace himself in public. He wondered if the corset had been too much. The intent had been to make a little gift as payback for her allowing him to join her on this trip. Now the gift almost seemed endearing.

His eyes ran down the list of lectures; a few stood out to him.

 _11:30am—Robotics and the Possibility of Transferred Consciousness—P. Larsen Auditorium—Lecturer: Dr. M. Andrews._ His eyebrows rose at that, thinking back on his hope to live long enough to one day transfer his consciousness to a robot, so that he might live forever.  _That's a winner._ He circled it.

 _12:45pm—Physics and Superheroes: Identifying the Impossible and the Probable—Shelby Lecture Hall—Lecturer: C. Donavon._ His pen drew another circle.  _Winner._

That gave him thirty minutes for his lunch. Two others caught his eye.

_1:30pm—Does Dark Matter Exist?—Garrison Lecture Hall—Lecturer: Dr. J. Gallifrey_

_1:30pm—Orgasmic Revolution: Sex Spoken Here!—Stable Theatre—Lecturers: Dr. S. Garrison, Mr. & Mrs. Slater, and Guest Lecturer (TBD). Warning: Mature content._

Sheldon chewed on his lip. He hadn't been able to find a listing for a lecture where Kaitlyn would be speaking, and it confused him. The usual choice would have been the physics lecture, but after the events of last night, he was curious. He wanted…more. And he had a feeling that the videos and books Leonard had forced on him probably weren't educational enough. He decided on the second lecture, noting it wouldn't hurt and the likelihood of anyone knowing he was there would be slim. Checking his watch, he got up to catch a quick snack before he headed off to the robotics lecture.

* * *

Katie had been able to explore two of the gymnasiums and was almost overwhelmed by the time noon rolled around. She wondered what Sheldon was up to.  _Probably annoying the hell out of someone who's put a lot of time into their work._ She had hoped to come across him on campus, to see his reaction to her outfit, to just see him, but so far she hadn't had much luck. Instead, she was met with ogling college eyes, whistles, and even a few "Heeey, Dr. K!"  _Geez, that seems to be getting around._

She met Silvia at the campus cafeteria, who outlined what was going to be discussed during their lecture that afternoon. She introduced Kate to Shannon Slater, and her husband Kevin, who both thanked her for being able to help out with their presentation. They told Katie that she would be there for demonstration purposes, and to give some insight of her own where she saw fit. The idea of this kind of lecture was a little embarrassing, but it was for educational purposes, and this was all stuff she wished she had known when she had been in college herself. They chatted and ate, both Shannon and Silvia complementing Katie on her attire, Shannon jokingly adding that it was oddly appropriate.  _And here I haven't even taken my jacket off._

Eventually it got close to one o'clock, and they started to make their way over to Stable Theatre. Katie had known it was the biggest space available on campus—they were expecting a rather large crowd—but when they walked in the size of it was almost terrifying. Some people were already seated and talking, while a media crew tested the sound and visual equipment. They had a main screen for the presentation the Slaters planned to present, with two large screens on either side for video of the speaker.  _Oh hell, I'll be on friggen video._ Katie took a big breath as they went around to the back stage area. She glimpsed at what was situated on the table they had out there, and couldn't help but giggle. It seemed so awkward. More and more people trickled in—this was apparently the big thing on campus today. A small knot began to form in her stomach, not unlike the knot she typically got when having coffee. She took her jacket off, and set it aside.  _Here we go._

* * *

Sheldon approached the theatre. Flyers had been plastered everywhere for this.  _Oh hell._ In the lobby, he saw posters for the event on either side of the doors to the theater. Sheldon stopped to read one before entering.

_ Orgasmic Revolution _ : _Sex Spoken Here!—1:30pm—Lecturers: Dr. Silvia Garrison, Mr. & Mrs. Slater, and Guest Lecturer: Dr. Kaitlyn Fieldling._

Now he found himself wishing he had paid attention to all the flyers he had seen about campus.  _This will be…fascinating,_  he thought as he stepped up to join the line of people entering the theater. A desk was set up before the door; they were requiring notifications of consent to view the presentation. Sheldon studied the slip of paper before putting in his name, his designation (student, professor, visitor, etc.), age. A box was available to be checked if he gave permission to be called upon.  _Oh what the hell, why not?_ He checked the box, handed the slip of paper to the woman at the desk, and walked through the doors.

* * *

Music was playing in the auditorium while they waited; the chattering indicating that there was a great number of people there. Katie checked her phone as she put it on silent.  _1:28pm._  One of the media techs double checked their microphones, he fumbled with Katie's, obviously distracted as checked the connection between the microphone clipped just above her left breast to the antennae that was clipped on her left back pocket. The music ended, and students began cheering and clapping as Silvia stepped out onto the stage.

Eventually the cheering and clapping died down, and Silvia began to do the introduction to the presentation. Nervous giggles spread through the audience as she gave them some quirky jokes. The she got to the point.

"We all know why we're here. We're all curious as to what goes where," nervous giggles again "how we get there, what happens after, and so forth. This  _lecture_  comes in two parts. The first, my part, details the specifics of sex—biologically, why we want it, etc. and so forth. The second part, goes into the fun stuff—how to approach someone, what protection is, toys, and so on."

Then Silvia began her part of the presentation, going over the birds and bees in a biological context. The risks of sex—chance of pregnancy, infections, and what not. It reminded Katie of a smarter version of the scary presentation she had gotten in catholic school.  _They definitely had a means of scaring the crap out of you._ Not that that had really steered her off being adventurous—she still snuck out to be with guys, but she didn't actually have sex until she got into college.  _I just did everything else._

It seemed like forever before Silvia's part of the presentation was over. She turned and waved to the Slaters, introducing them to the audience as they came out; cheers and applauding overtaking her talking. She paused and waited for it to quiet down, and then she nodded to Katie.

Katie took a deep breath, and then walked out, taking her place between Shannon and Silvia. She turned a dark shade of red in reaction to the cheers, whistles, and shouts of "Wooo Dr. K!" She gave a nervous laugh, giving them all a smile. Silvia walked off the stage, and cheers began to quiet down. Some whistles still kept going on.

"Ok, guys, do ya'll want to get to the good stuff or not?" Katie raised her right eyebrow, putting her hands on her hips. The whistles died.

Shannon began their introduction emphasizing that this presentation was more for educational purposes as it was better "…to be armed with knowledge than none at all." Katie stood there, looking around at the audience, not quite sure where to put her eyes.

Kevin spoke up, "First topic: Knowing when the time is right." The presentation appeared on the screen above him. He noted that sex is an emotional link, and that it was best to be saved for someone you cared for. "But, in college, you can be curious. One night stands, they happen." He spent a good ten minutes making the point that it shouldn't be something you're pressured into, or something that happens when you've had too many drinks. He specified the steps to take if students got into situations they were uncomfortable with. "Know the people to call, save their numbers—close friends, campus police, and in a real emergency, 911. Know that it's ok to tell someone no."

"But, when it's time to say 'yes'…" he turned to Katie.

She was feeling bold now as she stood at one side of the table. The camera guy focused on her. She picked up a big line of condoms and kind of waived them about. "Contraceptives!" She got cheers for that. Katie began outlining the many choices—condoms, spermicides, sponges, etc.—as they showed up on the screen, asking for audience participation on some questions. Some brave soul stepped to the microphone and asked "What do you use Dr. K?"

She clicked to the next slide. "I use this," she could hear groans of discomfort from some women in the crowd. "It's an IUD, an intrauterine device. Obviously, I won't show you." Giggles went through the audience. "Mine has copper tubing, which is actually toxic to sperm. It lasts at least ten years, unless you decide to get it taken out. It also decreases the likelihood of you menstruating. The downside is 1)," she counted on her fingers," it is by no means cheap and isn't something easily accessible to the college crowd. And 2) it has to be inserted by a professional." More giggles. She rolled her eyes. "by a doctor, guys."

She gave the normal run down—the easiest form of contraceptive is abstinence. "But what fun is that? You can always go to your on-campus nurse for condoms, and pretty much everything you need can be found in your local drug store."

Shannon stepped up next as Katie went off to the side again. It was time to discuss  _safe_  toys. Hilarity ensued as she half demonstrated some of the items she had on her table, with the help of her husband. They outlined situations where play was appropriate, what was allowable, and what was considered inappropriate.

Then it was time for the final part of the presentation.

"Now all of this information is useful, but it won't get you anywhere if you can't approach your partner or can't take part in basic foreplay." Shannon was standing at the front of the stage, signaling for Silvia to come out with their giant box of slips." When you came in, you signed waivers dictating whether or not you would be willing to be called upon." Silvia mixed up the box with her hand. "Whoever we call on will be asked to come on stage. For today's purposes, we're only calling on men, and men, you get…Dr. K." Nervous laughter spread through the crowd.

Shannon nodded to Silvia. Silvia stuck her hand in the box again, withdrawing a slip of paper. She looked at the name, and then smirked at Katie, handing the slip to Shannon.

"Do we have a Dr. Sheldon Cooper?"

_Oh, fuck!_

* * *

The lecture so far was everything he was expecting it to be. Silvia, the lady he had been introduced to yesterday, had led with some very specific information. Then she had signaled to some people off stage to come out. A couple came out, who she introduced as Shannon and Kevin Slater. This whole presentation was something they did on college campuses to promote knowledge. Then she introduced Katie as she stepped out, and his breath caught in his through. His head felt like he was spinning.

The first thing he noticed is that she was wearing his gift.  _Holy shit, she's wearing it well, too._ He suddenly he wanted to hide her from all of the eyes he knew were on her in the theatre. The outfit she had created with the corset he had given her was incredibly flattering. He felt she was revealing too much, even though the only skin he could see from where he sat was a small bit of cleavage. It was very difficult for Sheldon to keep his eyes off of her as the presentation continued.

It was the demonstrative part of the show now. The toys amused him and made him feel uncomfortable all the same. Mrs. Slater began talking about bringing people on stage; about how a male would be matched with Katie. Sheldon found himself wishing he would both be called on and not called on. He wanted to touch her, but not in front of all these people. Then again, he didn't want to  _watch_  anyone do the touching for him. He was lost in his thoughts until her heard, "Do we have a Dr. Sheldon Cooper?"

He slowly stood and made his way to the stage, deciding that this was the lesser of two evils. Katie's eyes were on him as soon as he stood, gaping at him. He couldn't help but to smile at her shock. When he reached her, he gave her a quick nod.

"Nice outfit," he said, with a slight smile on his lips. He refrained from saying much else. They were in front of people after all.

"It looks like these two know each other." Shannon noted, to which "ooooooo" came from the crowd. Katie laughed nervously.

* * *

"First step, make sure your partner is ok with what you're doing. That step is implied so let's skip along, yes?" Giggles came from the crowd. "Initiating contact should always be delicate and intentional. A small touch to the hand, a caress up the shoulder. Let them know you're interested." Shannon gave an intentional look to the crowd. "Don't go for the goods straight away." She gave a nod to Sheldon and Katie.

Sheldon stepped to her and grasped her hand, rubbing his thumb over her fingers. Each touch brought a small wave of heat through her body. Katie placed a hand on his shoulder, feeling the warmth of his skin through his shirt. She could feel the outline of his undershirt through the thin cotton.

"Very good." Shannon approved. "Now you get a little exploratory." The audience was cooing.

Katie was already stroking the side of Sheldon's face, feeling a small trace of stubble under her fingers. He was leaning his head into her hand. Sheldon brought her closer to him, embracing her.

"Okay then. They know what they're doing." Shannon nodded. "When you feel the moment is right, you kiss. Lightly at first and then…" The rest Katie didn't hear.

Sheldons lips were upon hers before Shannon finished her sentence. All of a sudden it seemed like it was just them on the stage. Sheldon moved away for a brief second, breaking the kiss—probably following what Shannon had said, but Katie had entwined her fingers through his hair at the base of his neck and was already pulling him into another kiss. He grasped her face, deepening the kiss, and shivers ran down Katie's spine. She wanted him, then and there, and then she noticed the cheers.

"I think I made my point," Shannon said, laughing, "Okay, you two…okay, you can stop now."

They finally broke apart, both panting, having gotten lost in the moment. They were both blushing, much to the applause of the crowd before them. Katie heard a "You go, Dr. K!"

Katie and Sheldon left the stage while they wrapped up the presentation, opening up the talk for questions. Students were lining up at the microphones in the aisles. Sheldon was following Katie as she went to retrieve her jacket. She faced him, stepping up on her toes, and gave him a gentle kiss. Katie then backed away, much to Sheldon's disappointment, and looked up at him.  _Damn those eyes._

"I think we need to talk, sweetie." Sheldon looked panicked for a second. "Oh, no, it's not bad. We just need to figure out where we're going with this."

Sheldon swallowed. "Yes, a talk would be welcome."


	13. Shift in the Paradigm

They stepped out into the hallway that adjoined the backstage area. It was surprisingly quiet, considering the number of people who had shown up for the presentation. "I would like…" Sheldon started; "I think we should…" Katie started at the same time. They both stopped and Katie gave a soft giggle.

"You first," she nodded to Sheldon. He was leaning against the wall opposite of her, his foot propped up below him, looking down at his hand, picking at the skin around his nail.  _If not for the fidgeting, he'd be pretty hot right now._

"I…" he stopped and took a breath. "I believe that in this social context, I am...attracted to you."

"Well you either are or you aren't..." She was trying to lighten up the situation.  _Boy, he's nervous._ The fidgeting continued.

"I'm not sure how to handle this. I've always thought of myself as being a superior human, one void of emotion, all basal desire. Hell, on normal occasion, I make a point to avoid people just so I can decrease the chance of social interaction. Over the past few days, however, I have found myself wanting to be with you, in all sense of the context." He swallowed. "I'm more relaxed around you that I have ever been around my friends; my….compulsions…seem to disappear. I'm drawn to you." He looked up at Katie.

Kaitlyn looked up into his nervous blue eyes. She thought she would have had to skirt around the issue, but apparently he was jumping to the point. "So what would you like to do about it?"

"I would like to alter our relationship paradigm from one where we are friends to…well…one where we are exclusive to each other." He fidgeted with his fingers again. "One where I don't have to watch other men and have to feel like I'm competing for your attention."

"Honey, you don't have to compete. If you haven't noticed, my attention has been on you and almost nothing else this entire trip." Well, she wasn't lying. Her only other distractions had been her lectures. "So, you're saying you'd like to date me?" Katie was grinning.

"Weren't you listening?" Sheldon looked back to her, and cocking his head to the side.

"Yes, yes I was. I just wanted clarification." Sheldon was obviously getting frustrated. Katie quickly spoke up. "It's okay, Sheldon. I accept your proposal for a new relationship paradigm."

Sheldon visibly relaxed, his face displaying a wide grin. "There are just a couple stipulations. One, we hold off on telling the group. They would give us all kinds of hell, and I'd rather they find out…gradually…once we've gotten comfortable." Katie nodded. "Second, as I can now call you mine…"  _His?_ She managed a small smile that he didn't catch. "…I acknowledge that coi….sex….is a common social convention that is associated with a pairing such as ours. I am not as adverse to the idea as I thought I would be. I only ask that you let it happen on my terms."

'Sure, honey. Just don't expect a woman to wait forever." She gave him a coy smile.

"Well of course not. I expect it will happen sooner rather than later, given the circumstances."  _Oh really?_

"And what circumstances are those?"

"Your inability to keep your hands off me."  _Oh now someone's being funny..._

"Also, I would like to draw up a relationship agreement upon our return back to Pasadena."

"Sheldon, what's a relationship agreement?"

"It's a legal document that specifies the parameters of our relationship. It includes rules, what is or is not allowed, how certain scenarios will play out..." he rambled on for a bit.  _Monkey balls in a blender, he isn't kidding._

"Dr. Cooper," she said with a stern voice, getting him out of his rambling on about this relationship agreement nonsense. "I will not agree to such an agreement." He looked stricken.

"But..."  _He definitely has a strong need for order._

Katie crossed her arms. "Sweetie, relationships are meant to be laid-back and we just go and do what we would like to do. We can set some basic ground rules, like only going as fast as you'd like to, but other than that we just let it go naturally." Sheldon still looked ashen. "I'll tell you what, I will make a point not to interfere with your compulsions, and I'll make it as easy on you as I can. But will not be signing some legal document that justifies what our relationship. If we see anything that needs changing, we'll take care of it as we come across. Agreed?"

Sheldon nodded slowly.

"So what about this date tonight?" Katie asked casually, trying to distract herself from the knowledge she now possessed-she was now in a 'relationship' with a slightly neurotic theoretical physicist and sex was on the table.  _Whoda thunk?_ They began to head towards the exit. Now more and more people were filling the hallway.

"Oh!" Sheldon checked his watch, and then grabbed Katie's hand. "We need to go! Confound your sexually promiscuous lecture."

* * *

They had had to rush to make it the car in time to make their reservation. Sheldon had booked them a table at Wildflower, a modern American-style bistro that the concierge had rated very highly. Their table had three small candles in mason jars at the center. It was homey.

Sheldon slid a chair out for Katie as she took her jacket off. His eyes fell on her chest and he quickly averted his gaze.  _Drat._ "I'm glad that fits." He gestured to the corset as he sat down. "It's certainly…" the sentence died; there wasn't a word for it. The way the corset shaped her breasts with that blouse… _Jeepers man, control yourself. You're here to eat, not embarrass yourself with basal desire in public._

Kate gave him a heart-warming smile. "I'm glad you got it. It's so…intricate." Her fingers toyed over some of the embroidery. "My others fail to compare." She leaned in towards the table to grab a menu, revealing more of her bust as she did so.  _Control….yourself._  He fixated his stare on the green gem hanging just above his new distraction. His eye twitched.

"That's a nice necklace." She looked down, and had a glimmer of a smile on her face. "Is that...?"

"It's a small emerald yes." It was shaped like a dove, and it brought his attention back to... _Damnit._  "It was a gift from my father."

"It's definitely...attention grabbing."

"That was kind of the point."  _Ha! Trickster._ Sheldon took the menu away from her. "Hey, I'm not ready!" She gave on the appearance of being frustrated, but broke it to laugh.

"I'll order." The waitress came along. He followed Katie's method of what-the-hell-let's-just-go-with-the-flow from the other night. He ordered calimari and dumplings for their appetizer, and went ahead and ordered three entrees-salmon, fettuccine, and even some steak. He even ordered tiramisu for their dessert, and a bottle of wine. Katie's eyes went wide.

"Sheldon, we can't eat that much...especially if I'm in this corset. "  _We could always fix that...not here, Sheldon._

"Oh, posh. You spared no expense for me. I'm returning the favor."

"Well it's nice." It seemed as if she hadn't stopped grinning since they had gotten there. That simple occurrence pleased him more than he'd let on. "I honestly can't remember the last time I've been able to relax like this."

The waiter brought along their wine. Sheldon could see a look of worry go across Katie's face. "Um, sweetie, please tell me you're drinking this with me. I'm not going to do the whole bottle."

"No, I thought for one night, one where I'm actually drinking with someone, it wouldn't hurt to drink a little. It won't be like the other night, where I'm drinking for..." he shrugged. "I need to...what's it called...cut loose? Whatever you drink, I'll match."

"Oh hell, don't tell me that." She laughed, giving him one of those smiles again. "I'll have to watch myself." Then she gave him a smirk. "Or not."

They got lost in chatter as piece by piece of their meal arrived. She had been right, there was no way they would finish it, but it was fun to be so free for once. Sheldon felt a pang of guilt, as fun as this was, his compulsions would not allow for something like this to break his routine often.

"So what's the plan for tonight?" Katie asked him as they left Wildflower.

"We're actually going to a club." Katie paused on the way out the car; the driver was waiting on them.

"You're taking me to a club, after you're little...'squeee' from the last time?" She emphasized her point with silly hand gestures.

He gave a small laugh. "Well, now I know what to expect if we dance. Besides, there's an event going on there, so I don't know if dancing will really be possible. All money goes to some sort of charity." He opened the door as she climbed into the car. "It's about...ten minutes away from here."

* * *

"That's ten minutes we'll need. Why didn't you tell me we were going to a  _club?_ " Katie was searching for a bag she had had from the night before. It had had a change of clothes for after the banquet, which she ended up not using. She pushed something things around in the bag.  _Ah ha!_

She withdrew with a pair of stockings and a skirt. Katie looked a little slyly at Sheldon. "Now don't freak out. I'm just changing a little." She pulled her boots off and began to shimmy out of her pants."

"Uh...what are you wearing?" A husky voice asked from the seat beside her. Sheldon was eyeing her.

Katie was sporting some rather sexy panties and a garter belt, which the corset had kept hidden. "I...was anticipating some  _fun_  later. But, this..." she pointed at the belt, "can serve some purpose for now." She watched Sheldon gape at her from the corner of her eye as she rolled on the stockings and hooked them into the belt. She slid a pair of short-very short-black shorts on, which she had happened upon in her bag, and a skirt on over them, re-hiding the garter belt. She kept the blouse on under the corset. Katie pushed her boots back on, and stifled a giggle when she heard "Oh lord" whispered from beside her.  _We'll see how much sooner than later you'll be wanting this..._

"I'm going to have to beat away every man that approaches you tonight aren't I?" He asked, after he had somewhat regained his composure.

"Not if they see me with you. Besides, this is for you, not them." It was obvious he was still thinking how revealing she had been just moments before.

"For me?" He visibly swallowed. Katie inched towards him in the back seat.

"Yes for you." She straddled him, and immediately his hands were on her hips as she lightly grazed a kiss upon his lips. As she began to undo his belt and the top of his pants, he grew tense, and stopped her, her fingers still poised on the clasp of his pants.

"Katie,  _not here._ " She giggled, almost seductively.

"Hold your horses, Dr. Cooper." She untucked his shirt, and then reclapsed his pants and belt. "That's all I needed." She made to unbutton the top of his shirt, but she immediately realized he was wearing a flash t-shirt under it.  _Ok, no unbuttoning those._ The car drew to a stop and she climbed off him, rolling up his sleeves as she did so. He looked positively flustered, but  _hot_.

"You're a temptress."

"And you're smiling."

"That's not the point here."

"Well, come on then." Katie climbed out of the car.

* * *

"Dr. K!" Shouts came from different corners of the club as they entered. "Looking hot, Dr. K!" Katie felt a hand on her back, and looked up to see Sheldon almost guarding her.  _That would have been so useful just a few nights ago._

The club was what would be expected in a large city, except it was considerably larger than it appeared on the inside. Colored lights and black lights were strewn about on the ceiling and floor. A giant bar sat against one wall, with seating in front of it and on the balcony above it. The dance floor was spacious, and, even then, already crowded. Next to it stood a stage, with a DJ off to the side. Equipment was being prepped on stage as music played.

A middle-aged man came over, nodding to Sheldon, and turned to Katie. "Thank you so much for agreeing to take part tonight."

"Uh, take part?"

"Yes," the man looked to Sheldon, puzzled. "the charity Karaoke contest."

Realization began to dawn on her. "And I'm taking part?" She was looking to Sheldon now, giving him a death glare.  _Oh hell, he's got a shit-eating grin on his face._

"You'll be competing against four professors and seven visiting lecturers. You'll get to sing five songs, but they'll be student choice as to what you sing. If you make it to a tie-breaker, you'll be able to choose a song within a student chosen category." The professor rattled this all to Katie. She just stood there, a little dumbstruck.  _Oh hell, I'm going to need a drink for this. I can sing in the shower, and in the car, but in front of a whole club of people? Drink, please._

The club was damn near packed by the time the contest was set to start. Katie made Sheldon get them drinks, and strong ones at that, while they waited. Students were putting in their votes as to songs that the professors/lecturers were to sing. It was beginning to look like she was the youngest that was going to be taking part in these shenanigans. Sheldon brought back a jack and coke for her, and a cuba libre for himself.

The middle-aged professor, who she now knew as Chuck, went up to the stage and the cheers that surrounded them were deafening. Once the cheers died down, he began to speak.

"Welcome to the first Karaoke contest at the Neon Star. The owner has kindly allowed us to host this event here. All proceeds go help fund cancer treatment for children in need at St. Augustine hospital." Cheers became deafening again.

"Four professors and eight lecturers have agreed to take part in tonight's festivities. Each are going to sing five songs, each one in a different category, as chosen by you lovely students as you came in tonight. The categories are: Classic Rock,..."  _Ok that should be easy._ "...90's,..."  _That could be...ify._ "...Today's hits,..."  _That could be dangerous considering it would be anything from rap to Lady Gaga. Jeezus._  "...Alternative,..."  _Ooooo, that'll be any easy one, too._  "...and, once they've had a couple drinks in them, Something Sexy. Seriously guys, you couldn't come up with a better name for that?" Groans came from the contestants.  _That one...I don't know._ "Scoring will be determined on each song by how much you cheer, so if you love it, don't be afraid to show it."

Katie was fifth in the line-up. She sipped her jack and coke next to Sheldon, who had positioned them near the stage. She couldn't help but cringe as the professor on stage completely mucked up 'Highway to Hell." The next two were professors, which did ok, the last one was completely humourous and off-tune. Then, it was suddenly her turn.

She climbed the steps to the stage, nerves going crazy, despite the liquor. Katie looked at Sheldon, who had that shit-eating smile on his face again. Chuck whispered in her ear the song that had been chosen for her.  _HA! Too easy. And now I want to watch some Supernatural._ She grinned when she was given the go ahead to start 'Carry on my Wayward Son.' Katie began to get into the music as the guitar intro began to play.

Suddenly, the song was over, and she had aced it. She blushed as people were practically screaming at her. Katie made it back to the table as another lecturer began to sing, only to find that Sheldon had another drink ready for her. She grinned at him.  _He sooo sucks for making me doing this, but hell, it's kind of fun._

Going through the next category was a breeze. She was given "Wannabe" from the Spice Girls.  _Talk about a flash back._ But that one she couldn't stop giggling during as it had been just too awkward for her. Luckily she was now on her third drink since they had shown up to the club-which also meant Sheldon was on his as well. She was feeling confident now. He had his arm around her shoulder as they waited. She wished they could talk, but it was too loud to try.

The next category-Today's Hits-was sending everyone into a doozy and so far no one had done too well, thoroughly embarrassing themselves on stage. Then again, everyone other than Katie that was competing had to be in their forties or older.  _Oh please, let me have something easy,_  Katie hoped as she made her way on the stage again. She listened to current music almost everyday, but was afraid of what they would give her. Chuck whispered the song to her, and it had already began.

"You're shitting me right?" The audience giggled.  _Holy fuck, this will be interesting. If I can do it in the shower..._  "Hey, hold up, restart it. If I'm going to do it, I might as well do it right. Although...I might need a shot first." Someone willingly handed her a shot as the DJ stopped the music. She threw it back to a chorus of "Yeah, Dr. K!" She nodded to the DJ.

"Oh...fuuuuck you guys." The crowd laughed. 'Starships' began to play again. The crowd began clapping in time with it.  _I officially hate that Minaj chick now._

Surprisingly, she didn't miss a beat, and actually got into it as the crowd got more and more into it.  _I didn't realize I knew this song that well._ She actually began to dance as she sang. More cheers. Again, it was over before she knew it, and she was burning up. Sheldon had water for her when she came off stage.

While they waited again, she found her way out of her blouse while still keeping the corset on. Sheldon was gaping at her. "Dude, it's hot and the goods are still covered." She threw her blouse on the table and ordered another drink, and a shot for Sheldon. He just looked at her. "We're matching drinks remember. Just hold your breath and do it all at once." Sheldon followed her orders, and grimaced and gave her a "Jeepers!" He put his arm around her again as they waited. She could feel his fingers playing with her now bare shoulder, and the tingling they left behind.

The Alternative category was sending the other contests for a loop, just as Today's Hits had. It was finally Katie's turn again, and as she made her way to the stage, she got a lot of whistles and yells because she had lost the blouse. "Chill guys. You're acting like you've never seen a woman before." The crowd laughed as she leaned to Chuck to listen for the name of the song she'd be singing-'Ignorance' by Paramore.  _Eaaaasy._ She was feeling really warm and buzzy now. And despite that she nailed this song like she had the others.  _Maybe I should start doing more Karaoke if it's this easy._ She damn near skipped back to Sheldon after the song ended, and gave him a peck on the cheek. All that was left now was whatever lay in store in the Something Sexy category. It seemed like she was doing pretty great so far, but she had a feeling that that category would throw her off.

They took a break before the last category. She watched as some people set up props.  _Props? Jeezus._ She was sipping on water by this point, feeling a bit loopy by now.  _Wine, plus three drinks here, and shots will do that to ya._ Sheldon was absolutely giddy, bobbing his head to the music.  _Here's to hoping he hasn't had so much to drink that he'll go looking for a hot tub._ He was also starting to get handsy-his leg was drawing little circles on her leg under the table. That made her start to giggle.  _I can do this. I just have to ignore everyone else and just focus on him._

It was an absolute hoot to watch the other contestants, who had been downing drinks all night, try to sing 'sexy' songs and dance with them. Chuck had made it easier by giving them all headset microphones. The crowd was filled with cheers and laughter. It was down to her, and people were actually chanting "Dr. K."  _Jeezus._ She trapsed up on the stage and got the biggest cheer she'd heard all night. Chuck whispered her song.  _Oy._

"Before I do this, would ya'll be against me having another prop? Dr. Cooper?" The audience cheered and Sheldon was giving her a deer-in-the-headlights look. He was shaking his head no.

"Awww." She and the crowd both said in sync. She giggled. " I think he needs encouragement."

The students took up a chant of "Dr. Cooper" until he finally stood. His face was completely red. Sheldon shuffled his way on stage. "This was meant for you, not me," he mumbled to her, but loud enough for the audience to hear on the microphone. The crowd laughed.

"Consider it payback. Now,  _sit._ " She motioned to a chair that had been brought on stage. She moved another to sit a few feet beside him. Katie intended to do something that she hadn't done since college. As a sort of freshman initiation there had been a contest where each dorm's freshmen had been required-well those that agreed to were required-to put together dances and dance in front of the school. It had been embarrassing, sexy and fun.  _Time to do the same here._ The DJ began to play 'Dance for You' and she began to sing and to do a risque dance in the chair. Sheldon's eyes bulged. Her moves were drawing attention to her curves, leaving nothing to the imagination. Her stockings were visible for mere moments as she teased him while she played with her skirt and danced. The crowd was going insane.

Half-way through the song she moved over to Sheldon and began to dance around him, much to the appreciation of the crowd. It was almost like a strip-tease, but without the loss of clothes. She started to incorporate him into her moves, and it neared the classification of a lap dance.  _Hell, it IS a lap dance. Ha!_  Sheldon was breathing heavily and gripping his chair. Despite this Katie kept up with her singing and dancing, being goaded on by the audience and the liquor. Sheldon seemed relieved as the song ended, scooting off the stage as quickly as he could. The roar from the crowd brought Katie out of her reverie-she had gotten into the whole ordeal and was almost out of breath herself. She gave a little bow as the next contestant came up to do their bit.

Sheldon was giving her a smoldering look as she came back. Instead of taking her chair, she took a spot on his lap, wrapping her arms around his neck. He whispered in her ear "Temptress." the breath on her neck sent shivers down her spine. She gave him a small apology, to which he whispered again, "It's ok. You'll have to do that again, sometime." His voice was husky, and there was a hint of a smile in it.  _Shit, he enjoyed that._ She had thought doing something like that, in front of so many people would have gotten him mad, not the other way around. Her heart fluttered.  _Sexy dances, check. What will he do when actual stripping comes into play?_  A soft kiss landed on her cheek. She suddenly couldn't wait to get out of there.

It seemed a lifetime before the last contestants finished their songs. Sheldon had a hand on her leg, and the other on her back, and she could hardly pay attention to anything else. Finally, Chuck came on stage.

"Well, I think we already have a winner. But one last check..." He started to say each contestant's name to gauge the cheers. He didn't say her name when it cane to the fifth person's spot, he waited until the very end.

"Dr. Kaitlyn Fielding." People were practically screaming.  _Jeezus Fucking Christ._

She went on stage again and was practically drowned with applause as Chuck gave her a small trophy and a thanks. He made mention that this had helped raise over $15,000 in donations so far. That gave her a thought.  _I have to thank these people in some way, and contribute a little._

"Wait one moment," she said into the microphone, and then ran to her table, returning in just a few moments. She murmured to Chuck, who shook his head and gave her a reply. She took what was in her hand, leaned over the table, and jotted something down. She turned around and handed it Chuck, smiling.

"Holy Shit," was his response. He was holding a check. He turned to the crowd, "Pardon, make that $30,000 in donations, thanks to Dr. K here." The screaming began again.

"The least I can do," she said, taking the microphone off. Giving a little bow, she left the stage.  _Now then, time to get the hell out of here._ She snatched up her belongings and blouse, and then practically drug Sheldon out of the club.

"That was a nice thing you just did." Sheldon commented as they climbed into the car. "I don't think I would've given that much money away to someone I didn't know. And I'm not even a man to care for material wealth."

Katie shrugged, "It's better than leaving it in a bank account for a long time. At least this way it's getting used. Enough of that though." She inched over as the car began to move, placing a small kiss just below his ear.

He coiled his fingers into her hair and drew her face to his, kissing her there in the back seat. The kiss was a little sloppy, due more to the liquor than anything, but she didn't mind. They deepened the kiss, and she moved to straddle him again. This time he had no rejections, the alcohol having removed is inhibitions. His hands moved to feel the curve of her butt through her shorts. Sheldon gave a small groan as she moved her advances to his neck.

It seemed just seconds before they reached the hotel, their hands roaming over each other, completely oblivious to their surroundings. A small cough from the driver let them know they had arrived. Katie led Sheldon by the hand out of the car and up to their room.

They stumbled around, not wanting to lose contact with each other, stopping for kisses and the sort, as they made their way inside the suite, and then to her room. Sheldon awkwardly picked Katie up and placed her on the bed, then moved to lay beside her. She began to unbutton his shirt, giving him small kisses as she did so, his hands roaming to any place they could reach. Katie had managed to get to his Flash t-shirt when she felt him suddenly relax.

Looking up, she could see that he had passed out. He began to snore.  _Aw hell in a hand basket._

Her body was aching with the anticipation she had had as she got herself of the bed and covered him with a blanket. She placed a small kiss on his forehead and then turned to make her was to the bathroom.  _Time for a nice hot shower...and some 'me' time._ Despite this hitch in their intimacy, she couldn't help but smile, knowing that indeed the time was going to occur much sooner than later.


	14. The Physicist and the Illness

Katie woke in the wee hours of the morning to the sound of retching coming from the nearby bathroom.  _Oh lord._ She stretched out on the bed, and sleepily gave the clock a glance.  _3:28am._ She worked to rouse herself to check in on the unhappy moans she could hear from the bathroom.

"Sheldon, sweetie, are you okay?" her voice was groggy from having just woke. She peeked around the corner to just see him vomit forcefully into the toilet.

"Do I... _look_...ok?" He retorted almost vehemently. He hugged the toilet as he gagged again; this time nothing found its way out of his mouth. Sheldon gave a quick tug at the toilet handle.

Katie was well versed in the problems of taking in too much alcohol. Her hangover experiences normally included a  _oh-hey-I-feel-like-Shit_  feeling, accompanied by the need to puke. But once she puked though, she normally felt ok. Sheldon, however, looked as if he had been in here for a while.

"Sheldon, how long have you been in here?" Katie asked, hoping he would hear the concern in her voice despite his irritation.

He gagged again. "I was up at 2:30. Why?" Sweat glistened where she could see the skin of his body. He had managed to change into pajamas at some point in the night. They, too, appeared wet from sweat.

"Honey, it's already about 3:30." Katie took a step forward, placing a hand on his forehead to check the temperature of his skin.  _He's burning up. That's not normal for a hangover. Uh oh..._  "I think you might have a temperature. Have you felt anything else?"

He frowned at her as he rested his head in the cradle of his arm. He quietly gave her a short list of symptoms, which only confirmed her fear, he had the stomach flu. "This is your fault, you know." Sheldon gave her a glare that seemed so venomous that it caused her to step back.

"Sweetie, how is it  _my_  fault that you're sick?" She felt slightly offended.

"I was trying so hard for your affections, I didn't pay attention to my compulsions." He began to ramble. "All of those people I touched...If I had known...Could've started throat cultures to aid the CDC in finding a cure..." He seemed to be verging on a panicky meltdown.

 _Oh geezus._ Katie grabbed a washcloth and wetted it, going over to Sheldon and giving him a quick wipe down. He relaxed against her hands. "What do you want to do, sweetie? Just say the word."

"I want to be in my bed."

"I can take you to your bed next door." She made to help him up, but he stopped her.

"No, I want to be in  _my_  bed." He began to quiver with the chills from his fever, looking utterly pathetic, making her feel absolutely horrid. Sheldon only paused from his shakes to face the toilet again, readying himself for the next assault.

* * *

She had stepped to the next room, and began to throw Sheldon's belongings together quickly. Katie put aside a set of clothes to change him into-he needed to be out of his sweat soaked pajamas. She eyed the room to make sure it was absolutely everything and then made to call the front desk.

She was met with a sleepy voice on the other end. "Yes, this is Kaitlyn Fielding in the Presidential Suite. Can you ready my car?" A pause. "No, there's nothing wrong with the room, we've just come across a rather unexpected emergency. A refund is not necessary, I just ask that you set up..." She gave instructions to set up the back seat of her car as comfortably as possible, and to have it stocked with necessities-Ice, medicine, soft foods, and if Sheldon need it, a rather large trashcan.

Katie eyed the clock as she listened to the drowsy voice on the other end of the line. She hated cutting the trip short, but she hated more at how completely uncomfortable Sheldon had been in front of her just then. She gave a short yawn.  _Can't be having that._

"Yes, that will do. Is there any chance you have some food on hand? Oh that would be amazing. Energy drinks, too, please." The voice on the other end assured her there would be a well stocked passenger seat with all things she would need to stay awake. These were on the house,since she was having to leave early. Katie thanked the attendant and hung up the phone. She rushed to pack her things and dressed in jeans and a tee. She stumbled to throw shoes and and rushed to Sheldon's room to grab the clothing she had set aside. Moaning could be heard from the bathroom.

"Still having problems?"

"Well I haven't puked since you came to check on me the first time. It's all been dry-heaving."

Katie handed him a change of clothes. "Put these on when you feel like it."

"What for?"

"We're leaving." Sheldon's face displayed pure shock. "Going back to Pasadena."

"But...your trip. I..." Katie stopped him with a wave of her hand, and began helping him get into a long-sleeved striped green shirt. She grabbed the t-shirt she had set aside, and slipped it over his head.

"Don't worry about it. Today was only just going to be for sight-seeing. I can always come back." She shrugged. Kate was a little upset about leaving, but she had known the trip was pretty much over as soon as she had realized he was sick. She put some superman underwear and a pair of plaid pants on the counter. "Let me get you some medicine."

She grabbed her 'Just-In-Case' bag from the her room. It had all the simple medication she could take, plus first aid supplies. Katie grabbed the pink Pepto Bismol bottle with a slight look of disgust in her eyes. She was allergic to this, yet still toted it around in her kit.  _I guess now is one of those times where it'll actually be useful._ She took the bottle and the kit to the bathroom with her, after attaining a glass of ice and water.

Sheldon was dressed and sitting on the side of the tub shakily as Katie emptied the contents in her hands on the counter. She opened the Pepto bottle, and poured him a dose, which he accepted gratefully. He downed it, frowned, and within a minute he was in front of the toilet again, bringing the pink fluid back up.  _Damn. I'm going to have to resort to stronger stuff._ This was the norm for her, but she hadn't expected to have to resort to such measures with Sheldon.

She grabbed two items from her kit. One was a medicine bottle with her name and the name of her doctor on the side. In italics,  _Phendergan_  was printed below the names. She opened the bottle and withdrew a pill. This medicine was normally meant to counteract allergic reactions-extreme reactions-but it had been prescribed to her from when she had severe bouts of nausea.  _Hopefully it will work for him as well._ She handed the pill to Sheldon as soon as his convulsions had ceased, and slid the water in his direction.

Again, once he had swallowed, he was in front of the toilet once more, groaning.  _So he can't take anything orally._  She had hoped it wouldn't result to this, but she grabbed the second item she had taken from her kit. It was  _Phendergan_ , but in a different form. Katie withdrew one foil wrapped capsule and set it aside for Sheldon. He eyed it warily.

"That looks a bit large for me to try and swallow." He said sheepishly, unwrapping the capsule.

She smiled apologetically. "That's because it's not meant to be taken orally." He didn't grasp her meaning. "It's a suppository, Sheldon. You don't seem to be able to swallow anything I give you, so this is the next option." He groaned. "Let me know when you're...done." Katie handed him a glove, then turned, grabbed her kit, and left the room while Sheldon stared at the capsule in his hand.

It had taken Sheldon a good fifteen minutes to get comfortable with this new development and accept it. Katie took this time to take their belongings and hand them off to the bellhop to pack her car. Now Katie was sipping a Redbull and munching on a muffin.  _4:10am. Ugh..._

Sheldon...waddled...out of the bathroom. If he hadn't looked so utterly pathetic, she would have laughed. "This is...uncomfortable." He mumbled. The scent of handsoap, purell, and mouthwash swept over her as he neared her.

"Well of course it is. But it will make you feel better." She handed him a water bottle filled with small chunks of ice. "Suck on these. You need to stay hydrated. You ready?" She motioned towards the door.

"About as ready as I can be."

She helped him get to the elevator, and the bellhop assisted him to the car as Katie took care of checking out. By the time she made it out to the car, Sheldon was already starting to look drowsy, laying in a fetal position in her back seat..  _That stuff works quick and knocks you out for a while._ She checked her phone.  _4:30am. Let's see how fast we can do this._ Katie was already starting to feel jittery from the energy drink she had downed.

The hotel had furnished her car as well as she had hoped. There was even a breakfast in a to-go package in the passenger seat. As she pulled out, she heard a drowsy "Thank you." from the backseat, which seemed to immediately be followed by snoring.

* * *

It was 10:30 by the time she pulled up in front of Sheldon's apartment building. The trip back had gone flawlessly.  _And quickly._  Sheldon hadn't gotten sick again, but had instead slept for most of the trip, waking occasionally to suck on ice, and sip on some gingerale. She had been constantly fueling herself with sugar and caffiene, hoping she didn't induce some sort of seizure or heart attack from over stimulating her system.

As she shut off the engine, Katie tried to call Penny before realizing she couldn't see her red VW. The call went straight to voicemail.  _Must be at work._ Then she gave Leonard's number, which had been supplied in Sheldon's emergency contacts, which just rang through to voicemail. Katie shot them both a quick text to let them know she and Sheldon were back ahead of schedule, and that Sheldon was sick. She turned around and gave Sheldon a nudge. "We're here."

He drowsily got out of the car, looking around him confused as she rifled through his luggage for his keys. She grabbed what she could, and then lead Sheldon up the four flights of stairs to his apartment. He stumbled every now then, still drowsy from the  _Phendergan_  she had given him that morning. She reached 4A, unlocked the door, and lead him inside-the relief at being home apparent on Sheldon's face once he realized where they were.

"Now to get you to bed," she steered him to his room, and grabbed a clean set of pajamas. He dozed lightly while sitting on the edge of his bed, making it difficult for Katie to change him. Eventually, after having to fuss at him considerably, she finished her goal, and managed to get him in bed and tuck him. Checking his forehead, Katie realized he was no longer sporting a fever. The sleep had done some good in the car. She turned to leave his bedroom, but he spoke up before she did so.

"Katie?"

"Yes?"

"Sing me Soft Kitty?" He gave her a look akin to that which children would give their mothers when they really really wanted something. She went and sat on the edge of his bed.  _What's this now?_

"I don't know Soft Kitty?" Sheldon half sang, half mumbled it for her, and then looked at her expectantly.  _Uh..._

" _Soft kitty, warm kitty, little ball of fur..."_ A look of pleasure spread across his face, so she continued,  _"Happy kitty, sleepy kitty, purr, purr, purr."_  He began to doze almost immediately.  _What did I just witness?_

She slowly crept out of the room and closed the door behind her. Katie still had Sheldon's keys, so she ran down to her car to bring up what remained of his things, placing them in the living room. She put his keys in the bowl she had seen him grab them from before they had left. Looking around, she found a cooler, filled it with ice, and put the leftover ginger ale, soft food, water, and gatorade in it. She found a ziploc bag and placed some pills in it, labeling it  _Phendergan-Just in case._  Kate jotted a quick note on a piece of paper and taped it to the lid of the cooler.

She quietly opened Sheldon's door to find him snoring. Tiptoeing to the side of the bed, she placed the cooler and bag of pills so they both would be within his reach. Before leaving, she leaned over and gave him a small kiss on the forehead. With that, she made her way quietly out of the apartment, locking what she could before closing the door.

* * *

Exhaustion was finally beginning to overcome her as she pulled up to the valet outside her building. Handing him the keys, she trudged to the elevator. Louis greeted her warmly, pressing the appropriate button for her floor. When she got off, he let her know her bags would be up shortly, to which she nodded.

As soon as she unlocked her door and stepped inside, she was attacked with two balls of fur weaving themselves through her legs. Katie gave them each some quick love before checking to make sure they had enough water and food. She took a quick moment to take care of the overwhelming stench of their litter box, washed her hands, and then made her way up to her bedroom.

Trin and Tig followed her as she went, both purring and meowing at having their owner returned to them. Katie heard the faint knock at the front door, the light squeak as the door opened, the small thuds of her bags as they met the floor, and then the door was shut and the lock set. She managed to kick her shoes off as she went down the hallway, shrugging out of her jacket and throwing it to the side. Katie inched out of her pants, and then collapsed into her bed. She had just barely drew the curtains closed with her bedside remote before she passed out.

* * *

Sheldon woke intermittently throughout the day, helping himself to the cooler that he had found on the floor next to his bed. He was gradually feeling better, but felt bad about having cut Katie's trip short.  _How do I make up for that?_  He smiled at the note he had found taped on the lid.

[ _Sheldon,_

_I'm sorry I couldn't stick around to help you but I needed to get back home. This cooler should have everything you need-liquid, food, and even more medicine if you find that you need it. If you need anything call me._

_Despite the trip being cut short, I had fun. I look forward to the possibilities our new paradigm holds._

_Let me know when you're feeling better._

_Kaitlyn Fielding_ ]

The amount of effort she had put in to make him feel comfortable surprised him. On any normal occasion, well normal here meaning when he happened to be sick, everyone he knew would drop off the face of the earth for a short time. Katie, however, had dropped everything and took him home immediately. It made him proud that there was someone out there, that wasn't his mother, who was willing to take care of him. He gradually fell back asleep.

* * *

Katie had crashed so hard she had slept through to Monday. She woke, seeing the clock shining  _7:40am_ up on her ceiling.  _Ho damn. I can't have slept that long._ She sat up and the motion made her feel dizzy. Her stomach rumbled, but she didn't feel hungry. In fact, she felt just the opposite.

Her stomach complained again. Suddenly she was running for the bathroom, barely making it to the toilet in time.  _Ugh. Damnit Sheldon._ It was then she recalled how much they had touched Saturday night. And here it resulted in her getting sick as well.

On top of this new development, she was feeling horrible cramps. Sure enough, not only was she sick, but she had just come across 'that time of the month'.  _This can't get any worse can it._

It was a good hour before she made it back to the comfort of her bed. It had taken her a bit to make her way downstairs, and set up her own little cooler. Thankfully, she didn't have to do the suppository route for this, as she was able to keep the pill down better than Sheldon had.

* * *

Except for the soreness he was experiencing, Sheldon was feeling particularly jubilant when he woke Monday morning. For once he was glad to not have work. He nearly tripped when he got out of bed, having forgotten that there was a cooler there. His eyes glanced over the note.  _I should let Katie know I'm feeling good._ He shot her a quick text before heading out of his room.

"Good morning, Sheldon." Leonard was sitting in his chair, watching a SyFy special on the tv.

"Good morning, Leonard. I say, I expected you to be surprised that I am here." Sheldon made his way to the fridge and began his search for some orange juice.

"Well, Katie let us know you were sick and had to come back early. Plus, you're luggage made it pretty obvious." He nodded towards the suitcase and bag near the couch.

"Oh. Have you heard from her at all?" Leonard raised an eyebrow. "I just want to thank her for the trip and for helping me while I was sick." Sheldon kept his eyes somewhere else. His eye twitched.

"Since  _when_  do you thank people?" Leonard shrugged. "She had said she intended to join us for dinner tonight."

"Oh splendid." Sheldon shot her another text, asking what kind of Thai food she liked. he finished his juice and headed to the shower to begin his morning routine.

He still hadn't received a text by eleven that morning.

[11:15am- _Katie, are you ok? -Dr. S. Cooper_ ]

Sheldon spent a few hours on World of Warcraft after he had lunch. After which, he checked his phone.  _Still no texts._

[2:18pm- _Are you mad at me for something? I'm sorry about the trip. -Dr. S. Cooper_ ]

Four o'clock came around and he still had not received a response. He was becoming anxious. Not only did he need to know how much food to order-and soon-he also hadn't heard anything from Katie. Sheldon tried calling her.

[ _Hi, you have reached Dr. Kaitlyn Cooper. I am currently unavailable. Please leave your name, number and a brief message. I'll get back to you as soon as I can._ *beep*]

He left a hurried message. "Hi, this is Dr. Sheldon Cooper. I'm just checking in. I haven't heard from you all day, and I...we..." Leonard was giving him a quizzical look. "need to know what to order you for dinner. Call me back. Again, this is Dr. Sheldon Cooper."

Sheldon crossed the hall to Penny's apartment, knowing that she had gotten off at three that afternoon.  _She knows about relationship problems..._

*knock knock knock* "Penny?"

*knock knock knock* "Penny?"

*knock knock knock* "Penny?"

Penny greeted him with a smile. "Hey, Moonpie."

"Ugh, Penny." He stepped into her apartment. "How many times do I have to tell you that only my meemaw is allowed to call me that?" Penny just shook her head in obvious amusement.

"Feeling better?" He nodded. "How was the trip?" Sheldon gave her the quick details. She gasped when he mentioned that he'd proposed that they enter a relationship. "Crap-on-a-cracker Sheldon! Why didn't you tell me?" He just shrugged.

"I've been trying to let her know that I'm feeling better, like she asked me to. But I haven't heard from her all day." He was pacing.

"Does she have work?" Penny was sitting on the couch with a glass of wine in her hand.

Sheldon continued pacing. "No, she's off for the rest of this week for Thanksgiving. I've sent texts. I just tried calling her." He stopped in front of Penny. "What do I do, Penny?"

She looked rather amused. "Sheldon, give it until tomorrow morning. If you don't hear from her then, and if you're worried, go see if she's at her apartment. Although I'm sure she'll get back to you soon."

To Sheldon's dismay, he didn't hear from her at all that night. She didn't show for dinner, despite them ordering extra food. He was positively sure that he had screwed something up, that she was mad, that she was mad for some reason. When he went to bed that night, he had problems falling asleep.

* * *

Kaitlyn woke Tuesday morning, not quite remembering how it was already Tuesday. She recalled waking up periodically for female maintenance, fluids, and medicine-the state of the cooler was proof of that-but beyond that the past two days had been a blur. Slowly trudging to the shower, her mind went over the events of the weekend. As the water hit her face, she relaxed, smiling at the reel of memories playing in her mind.

As she dried off, her stomach sent her a gentle reminder that she hadn't had much sustenance in the past two days. Katie threw on some loose jeans, a tee, and a gray hoodie. Her hair was thrown up in a knot on top of her head. She made her way down the stairs to the kitchen to find some bread, and gave the cats some food while she was at it. Her phone was still on the counter plugged into the charger. She grabbed it.

[ _14 text messages, 3 missed calls_ ]  _They're all from Sheldon. Oh shit._

She hadn't thought to let him know that he'd gotten her sick. During the past two days, she hadn't been in the right state of mind to do so. The last text was at 12:35am. Katie took a quick glance at the time on her phone.  _6:45am. He_ might _be awake._

She rang Sheldon's phone, it clicked as he picked up.

"Sheldon?" Her voice was slightly hoarse..

"Jeepers, Katie. Where have you been? Why weren't you answering the phone? I was beginning to think zombies had made off with you."

"Sheldon, I was sick." A small "oh" was heard on the other side of the line.

"How are you feeling?"

"Considerably better. I think my body was out of whack from all the stimulants I used to bring you back Sunday and I had been around you while you were sick. I think this is your fault, Sheldon," she said, remembering how he had blamed her during his own plight.

"And I take all blame." He paused. "Do you need anything? Soup? Ginger ale?"

"Actually, I could use some soft foods. I'm feeling brave this morning." She heard Sheldon rustling around.

"And how about some company?"

She smiled. "That would be nice, too." Before she could say anything more, Sheldon hung up on her. Katie didn't even get to ask how he intended to get there. She grabbed a piece of bread and plopped down in her over-sized chair. Tig crawled up with her as she flicked the remote towards the TV.

* * *

Sheldon got off the phone quickly and had already made it to the living room on his way to the door. He grabbed his jacket and began to slip it on.

"Where are you off to?" Leonard asked from his seat.

"Toy store. They have a new train set I'm interested in." His eye twitched. "Katie has invited us over to her place for dinner tonight."

"Oh, nice. I'm guessing she got back to you."

"Yeah, I kind of got her sick," Sheldon admitted guiltily.

Leonard's head snapped up. "How'd you manage that?"  _We only were all over each other at a club..._

"She was helping while I was sick, Leonard. I swear you never show proof you obtained a PhD." Leonard groaned.

"Bye, Sheldon."

Sheldon was out the door in a flash, with his tote in tow and a pair of pants to wear on the bus.

* * *

After the first episode of Firefly, Katie heard knocking on the door.

*knock knock knock* "Katie?"  _I guess the doorman just let him up._ She waited for him to finish his compulsive knocking. On the third set of knocks, she opened the door.

Sheldon rushed in and placed the grocery bags on the counter and turned to her, sweeping her up into a hug. The contact overjoyed her, but also reminded her that she was sore.

"Okay, honey, I'm sore." She heard a soft apology.

Sheldon scrambled to get all the food out for her. He had gotten a multitude of soft foods for her-crackers, fruit, soups, and more. He threw her a smile while he went about organizing these new additions into her fridge, as well as the other contents in the fridge. She sat on a stool, munching on another piece of bread, as she watched. When he was done putting her entire fridge into some kind of order, he came over and hugged her again, lightly this time.

"I thought you were angry with me. I'm sorry I got you sick." His voice was laced with guilt.

"It's ok, Sheldon. It happens." He sighed and poured her a glass of water from her filtered pitcher.

She accepted the glass and got off the stool.

"Well, come on. I was watching Firefly before you got here." He perked up at that, sitting down in her oversized recliner, as she placed the glass on a nearby coaster.

"Scoot, you." She motioned to Sheldon. He just gave her a confused look, moving over in the chair. "It's oversize for a reason."

Katie handed Sheldon the remote and he started the second episode as she cuddled into his side. "Oh, I see," Sheldon said softly, with a smile, wrapping an arm around her shoulders so she could cuddle into his chest. Her hair brushed against his arm, her hand left a warm pressure on his chest. Katie felt him relax. "I think this is my new spot."


	15. Offers & Arrivals

Katie woke to find herself curled up against Sheldon, who had managed to get to the fourth episode while she had dozed. She could faintly hear him whispering the words as characters on the show said their lines.

" _Jayne?"_

" _Yeah?"_

" _You wanna tell me how come there's a statue of you here lookin' at me like I owe him somethin'?"_

" _Wishin' I could, Cap'n."_

She smiled into his t-shirt as she realized he was on the Jaynestown episode. It had always humored.

"What time is it?" she asked, making Sheldon jump as he realized she was awake, his arm reflexively tightening around her.

He glanced at his watch. "It's around four in the afternoon." Katie frowned, not meaning to have slept for so long.

"When is the gang coming over?"

He shrugged. "Probably around five or so."

Katie stretched, and slowly withdrew herself from Sheldon's grasp. "I should probably shower then. It's not necessarily decent if I have guests while I'm like…this." She gestured to her body, her clothes were wrinkled and her hair in disarray. Sheldon smiled at her, despite herself.

"You look fine," he commented.

"Hmph. You're biased, so here your opinion doesn't account for much. I'll be down in a bit."

* * *

Sheldon watched after her as she stepped up to her bedroom, Firefly still playing in the background of his mind. He wasn't sure how he was going to bring the topic up, but hopefully she would take it well. It had been such a short time, and despite his tendencies towards other people, Sheldon found himself growing more and more attached to this woman. He heard the starting of a shower somewhere distant in the flat, and he focused on the episode before him.

It seemed forever before she was at his side again, her hair damp and scented faintly of lavender, curled up with him in the over-sized recliner.

"Katie?" He felt her move in reaction to her name.

"Yes, sweetie?"

"What are you doing on Thursday?" his tone was nervous. It's not like he had had very much practice with any of the social protocol with Amy.

"Thanksgiving?" She asked, pausing as he nodded. "I'll probably do what I've done since dad died. I'll grab a premade dinner and sit here watching holiday movies with a bottle, or two, of wine. Why do you ask?"

Sheldon frowned.  _That won't do at all._  "Well, the gang is already getting together for a dinner at our place, and my mother and meemaw are coming to visit." He couldn't help but feel a twinge of excitement as he mentioned he grandmother. "Considering that you are now a part of the group, and that we are, well, together, I was wondering if you'd like to join us?"

He watched as Katie shifted herself upwards and looked down at him. "Did you just invite me to Thanksgiving?" Her face was unreadable, although Sheldon wasn't especially great at reading people's emotions.

"Yes, I suppose I am." Sheldon nodded as he spoke. "Although, if you come, I'm not sure my apartment will be able to hold the crowd. I know it's not a standard precedent to have one meet family under such circumstances but I hope that it's acceptable."

"You could host it here if you'd like," Katie commented, smiling down at him. "Hell, I actually have a dining table." She laughed softly.

"Is that your way of accepting my offer?" Sheldon asked.

"Yes, silly." Katie replied, tracing a finger along his jawline gently. "It'll be nice to have a nice holiday for once, with something that even slightly resembles family. I can cook again." Her finger paused under the point of Sheldon's chin and he found himself staring up into those bright green eyes. "It was sweet of you to ask, Sheldon. Thank you." She leaned down, and planted a soft kiss on his lips and then withdrew.

Sheldon's lips tingled at the sensation, and he felt a pleasant flutter of something in his chest. Katie had turned back towards the screen of her television when he reached up and clasped the side of her face with a gentle hand, bringing her into another gentle kiss. The flutter in his chest intensified as her lips moved against hers and he found himself wishing that he could just stay there in that moment. He let out a frustrated groan when the door buzzed, indicating their friends were there.

* * *

Leonard and Penny had brought over tai food, but Katie wasn't in the mood for it. She resorted to fixing some of the soup Sheldon had brought over for her, and sat with the gang as they began to play Settlers of Catan as she ate her stomach-friendly meal. She didn't quite understand the game, and a quick glance to Penny and Bernadette indicated that she wasn't the only one. With a quick nod to the balcony, the girls left the men to their game.

Penny visibly sighed when they stepped outside. "It's rare that we can step away from that, and normally when we do, it's to my crummy little apartment, not…this." She waved at the skyline before them. She turned to glance at Katie as she sat down. "I hear we'll be over here Thursday."

"Yeah, more room here. How'd you know?" Katie asked taking her own spot next to her fire pit. She clicked the gas on, and lit the fake logs that lied there. It wasn't too chilly, but the fire was still cozy.

"Sheldon told Leonard." Penny answered. Bernadette looked lost.

"Since when does Mr. Anal-retentive invite people to such things?" Penny and Katie kind of chuckled, and avoided her gaze. "Wait…he  _likes_  you doesn't he?"

Katie glanced up sharply and just nodded. They watched flames lick at the logs before them.

"Just how much does he like you? Do you know?" Bernadette was fishing for details.

"Well, he did get me sick…" Bernadette's eyes grew wide, she obviously hadn't linked to two facts—that she and Sheldon had gone on a trip, and both had come back ill in some form.

Bernadette sipped at her wine. "And now you get to meet some of his family. That's fast, Kaitlyn."

"I'm not going to lie, I'm a little nervous about that."

"Oh, wait until you meet his mother," Penny snorted. "It's a hoot and half."

"And best of luck to you," Bernie added. "If you're willing to put up with that loon, and his mother, you're going to need it."

* * *

Katie spent the better part of Wednesday morning checking in at her clinic to make sure everything was running as it should. She wasn't to officially be back until the following Monday, but since it was essentially her business, she felt it was her responsibility to go by and check. Once she took are of some little issues—maintenance issues and inventory checks—she ran by her apartment to switch vehicles. At the end of last night, Sheldon has asked if she could take him to the airport to pick up his mother and grandmother. Katie felt it wouldn't serve as a great first impression if she picked them up in her Camaro, so she switched to her father's silver Bentley.

The car always made her a tad uncomfortable, and it wasn't because it had been her father's. She actually enjoyed having something her father had loved so much, it was a classic, but the car was, well, too ritzy for her taste. Katie always felt a bit pompous driving it, but as making impressions went, she found herself wanting to prove herself to those that Sheldon considered family.

 _Geezus, Katie,_  she thought to herself as she drove the car through the streets of Pasadena.  _It hasn't been that long that you've been with him_. It seemed like this whole situation with Sheldon was happening quickly, and she knew that that was something that normally you would have to worry about, but instead she felt happy with how it was going, that this pace felt natural. As she pulled up in front of the building, Katie shot Sheldon a quick text.

In a few moments she saw the lanky man exit his building, wearing that sports jacket that he seemed to wear everywhere. If she hadn't have known better, she would have thought he was quite a few years older—the jacket in combination with a green polo and khakis reminded her somewhat of her grandfather wore when she had been a child. Katie made a mental note that she and Penny would have to take him shopping and add a few more stylish ensembles to his wardrobe. She had been more that appreciative oh how he had dressed on their little trip.

Sheldon paused as he reached the sidewalk, glancing around. Katie realized that he was looking for the Camaro, and that she hadn't let him know that she actually owned more than one vehicle. Kaitlyn rolled the passenger window down.

"Sheldon!" He jumped as she said his name, and he leaned cautiously over to the window, throwing an odd look at the car she was in.

"What happened to your car?" He frowned, still not getting in the car.

"Nothing, sweetie. I own this one, too." She leaned over, motioning for him to get in the car. "If you don't get in, we'll be late to the airport."

Sheldon cautiously opened the door. "You own two cars? What logic is there in that?"

She chewed on her lip as she started to pull out onto the street. "Well, actually, I have four."

"Jeepers, Katie." She didn't look over at him. Such talks always made her nervous.

"Yeah, this one was dad's." Kaitlyn left the conversation off at that, switching topics. "Do you think your mom will like me?"

Sheldon scoffed. "Depends on how much you love being religious."  _Oh goody._ He seemed excited nonetheless though. "You'll love her cooking though, her pie is to die for. And my meemaw, goodness she's amazing." Katie couldn't help but note a southern twang reach his voice.

* * *

It took them a good quarter hour to reach the airport, and Katie left the car idling in the passenger pick up line while Sheldon went inside. She leaned against the hood of the trunk, wondering how the next few days would go. Curiousity overcame her over whether or not he would decide to tell his mother about their newly forged relationship.

Katie looked up when she heard Sheldon's voice growing close. He was accompanied by a tall, thin woman with short brown hair and a mousy nose who seemed to be fussing over Sheldon's hair he lugged her luggage towards Katie's car. An old woman, walked beside them, her hair streaked with shades of gray, and her smile mimicked the one that was splayed on Sheldon's face.

"Shelly, honey, I don't see that curly haired boy anywhere." The mousy woman, presumably his mother, commented as they neared Katie.

"No, Leonard didn't bring me, mother." Sheldon rolled his eyes as he approached the car. Katie shifted her weight off the lid of the trunk, and it gave a small pop as it came open. "I asked Katie to bring me."

It was then Mary Cooper noticed her, and Katie felt an odd twinge of anxiety as her face lit up. "How come you haven't told us about your new friend, Sheldon? You're the only other woman we've seen our Shelly with, other than Penny."

"I only met him a couple weeks ago, Mrs. Cooper." She stuck her hand out. "I'm Kaitlyn Fielding."

Mary completely ignored her hand and brought Katie in for a hug, catching Katie off guard. "Oh, sugar, it's Mary. I haven't been a Mrs. Cooper since his father died, God bless his soul."

Sheldon's grandmother brought her into a hug as soon as Mary released her.  _Geezus._ Kaitlyn wasn't sure what to make of it. "It's a thrill to meet you, honey." Katie peeked over the old woman's shoulder to see Sheldon close the trunk to her car, and turn and give her a soft, amused glance. "We've heard so much about you." At this, Sheldon's cheeks turned pink.

As Katie withdrew from Sheldon's grandmother, she rose an eyebrow. "Oh really, now? What has he said?"

"Nothin' but good news," his grandmother answered. "Our Moonpie is rather fond of you."

"Meemaw!" Sheldon let out an indignant whine. All of the women laughed despite his discomfort.

Kaitlyn opened to door for his Meemaw to climb in, during which she noted the old woman was pretty spry—she had no cane, and could easily climb into the car. As she climbed into the driver's seat, Sheldon and his mother began bickering about something in regards to him having not found Jesus yet, and she secretly hoped that the conversation wouldn't turn to her. Katie was more than amused about what Sheldon's grandmother had let her know—Sheldon had been talking about her…to family.

"Don't mind them, child," his grandmother spoke from the back seat. "They make a habit of fussin' about religion like it's goin' out of style."

She smiled to the rearview mirror. "Where are you staying tonight?"

"The Ramada in downtown," was the reply she received.

It took about ten minutes to reach the hotel, and Katie stayed at the car Mary, Meemaw, and Sheldon strode inside to check them in. As soon as they were done, Katie was going to be taking them out to lunch, and then to Sheldon's apartment so they could socialize with the gang. Kaitlyn nodded her head in time to the radio, completely oblivious that Sheldon was standing at her window, looking anxious.

*tap tap tap* "Katie?" She couldn't help but link this with his compulsive knocking.

She rolled down her window. "Yes, sweetie?" At that point she saw his mother and grandmother leaving the building, their bags still in tow, looking rather disappointed. "What happened?"

"They overbooked. They granted mother a refund, but now they have to stay with me." Sheldon's voice was incredibly frustrated. "I'll be making a point to leave them a shoddy review. I'll need to make sure there's room at the apartment for them to stay." He hastily helped get the bags in her trunk.

As they all re-entered the Bentley, Katie spoke. "Why don't we go eat, and then we can worry about everyone's housing for the night?"

She heard murmurs of approval throughout the car, save from Sheldon's position in the passenger seat beside her. He looked absolutely grumpy.

As the group was seated at a café in downtown, Katie excused herself, taking her phone outside with her. Sheldon gave her a confused look as she left the table. "Just order for me, ok?" He just nodded.

As she stepped outside, she dialed Walker Thompson's number, he was a former friend of dad's and he was always someone she could turn to in an emergency. The line clicked when he picked up the phone.

"Kaitlyn?" He must have had caller ID in his office. "What a pleasant surprise!"

"Hi, Mr. Thompson," she replied.

"Oh, honey, it's Walker, how many times do I have to tell you that?" Katie smiled at the question. "What can I do for you?"

Kaitlyn was quick to explain the situation, and Walker was fast to offer help. "I can offer them a suite, if that's acceptable." Katie was grateful that he owned a number of places in the area, a good amount of them being hotels.

"I'll pay for any expense, sir."

"There's no need, sweetie. I'll do anything for the daughter of John Fielding. I'll have them a suite at Huntington, is that suitable?"  _Holy jeepers, he's going all out._  The Langham Huntington was the ritziest of hotels in the area. "They'll have complementary services, and a driver if need be."

"S – Sure, Walker," she managed to stutter. He wished her well after she thanked him numerous times, indicating that they should have lunch for old time's sake some time soon.

Katie said nothing as she made it back to the table, figuring it would be better to have them there, at the hotel, than to mention it and they deny needing it. Sheldon had ordered her some tea and a turkey club, and she enjoyed the lunch, despite the array of questions that Mary and Meemaw had in store for her.


End file.
